The Trooping the Colour Ceremony (colour photo)

The Trooping the Colour Ceremony. The Ceremony of Trooping the Colour is the supreme climax of London's brilliant and glorious pageants. Held annually on the Horse Guards Parade in honour of the King's Birthday, the Ceremony has a long and interesting history. In the days before permanent barracks, a parade of the troops who were to perform the guard duty was necessary every morning. After the inspection, the Colour of the battalion on duty was trooped. In the course of time it became the custom on the King's Birthday for all five regiments of the Brigade of Guards to be represented at the Parade. From this has developed the traditional ceremony that we know to-day. The slow march past of the troops at the Ceremony is illustrated. Illustration for one of a set of 50 cigarette cards on the subject of Interesting Customs and Traditions of the Navy, Army and Airforce issued by Lambert & Butler in 1939.