Every year, the Trooping the Color parade attracts all eyes in London, bringing together the royal family for the sovereign’s official birthday. The British are called to gather in front of Buckingham Palace for a colorful day. But are those close to the Crown also present?
The meeting is unmissable for fans of the British monarchy. In 2026, Trooping the Color will take place on Saturday June 13 in London, continuing a spectacular tradition that has been part of the royal calendar for centuries. Also called “King’s Birthday Parade”, this ceremony marks the official birthday of the sovereign with very British pomp, between a military demonstration and a salute to the balcony of Buckingham Palace with family. The parade traditionally begins at the Palace before proceeding up The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, where Charles III reviews his troops. Each year, the event impresses with its scale: more than 1,400 soldiers from the Household Division, around 200 horses and more than 400 musicians take part in this perfectly orchestrated ballet.
Prince William, heir to the throne, usually takes part on horseback, alongside other active members of the royal family. Because this is the essential point: since Charles III, the parade has been reserved for active representatives of the monarchy. A strict rule which effectively excludes celebrities, even those who have privileged links with the king or certain Windsors. And yet, there is no shortage of names. David Beckham, who has become particularly close to Charles III in recent years, should not appear in the procession. The former footballer, ennobled in November 2025 by the king, regularly collaborates with the sovereign through the King’s Foundation. Passionate about gardening, the two men even worked together on the Curious Garden presented at the Chelsea Flower Show 2026. An obvious proximity… but that does not open the doors of Trooping the Color to him!
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Trooping the Color 2026: why aren’t the famous Windsor relatives attending the parade?
Same observation for Elton John. A long-time friend of the royal family since the 1980s, very close to Diana and remained linked to Princes William and Harry, the 79-year-old singer is one of the emblematic personalities gravitating in the royal circle. His moving interpretation of Candle in the Wind during the funeral of the Princess of Wales in 1997 or even his participation in the platinum jubilee of Elizabeth II left their mark. However, here again, his presence at the parade is not planned.
Robbie Williams, another familiar face of the Windsors, should not be there either. Very close to Princess Eugenie, whom he would consider to be “the sister he never had “, the singer has nevertheless participated in several major royal meetings, from Elizabeth II’s diamond jubilee in 2012 to Eugenie’s wedding reception in 2018. But Trooping the Color responds to a very different protocol. Same scenario for Roger Daltrey, co-founder of the Who and knighted in 2025, or for the actor Gary Oldman, knighted the same year for services rendered to dramatic art. Although honored by the Crown, these personalities are not part of the institutional circle called to attend the parade.
Other celebrities regularly associated with the Windsors, such as Tom Cruise, James Blunt, Guy Ritchie and Ozzy Osbourne, should not be seen on Horse Guards Parade. Their proximity to certain members of the royal family, however real it may be, does not allow them to participate in a ceremony strictly reserved for official representatives of the monarchy. The same logic applies to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s closest friends. William van Cutsem, Guy Pelly, Thomas van Straubenzee, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton and Emilia Jardine-Paterson belong to Wales’ inner circle. Godfathers of their children, childhood friends or long-time confidants, they play a discreet but precious role in their private lives. Yet, they too remain in the background during Trooping the Color.
Because if the event is followed worldwide and attracts an impressive crowd each year, it remains above all an institutional demonstration. King Charles III appears there in his role as head of the armies, surrounded by active members of the royal family invested in the monarchy. It is this protocol dimension which explains why, despite their proximity to the sovereign or his relatives, celebrities have no place there.
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