:01:34. > :01:36.Every year on a Saturday in June, the ceremony of Trooping the Colour
:01:36. > :01:41.is held to celebrate the sovereign's official birthday. This
:01:42. > :01:46.year, many of the uniforms will feature this medal, it is the
:01:46. > :01:56.Diamond Jubilee Medal, as the troops of the Household Division
:01:56. > :02:16.
:02:16. > :02:19.present their own birthday tribute The custom of honouring the
:02:19. > :02:25.sovereign's birthday every year with a grand parade goes back
:02:25. > :02:28.nearly 300 years, to the days of George III. More than 1,000 troops
:02:28. > :02:33.are taking part today, led by the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards,
:02:33. > :02:39.whose colour is being trooped today. It is their first opportunity to
:02:39. > :02:43.provide the Escort since 1999. The guards, as ever, assembled into two
:02:44. > :02:52.rex, a tribute to Wellington's tactics in battle in years gone by.
:02:52. > :02:55.These soldiers on parade today are fully trained and better already.
:02:55. > :03:00.British forces sustaining more losses in Afghanistan and in recent
:03:00. > :03:05.days, bringing to 419 the number of personnel who have died in
:03:05. > :03:11.operations there. Thousands of people are watching in the stands
:03:11. > :03:15.around Horse Guards Parade. Those invited include ambassadors and
:03:15. > :03:22.diplomats, including senior military figures and government
:03:22. > :03:32.ministers as well. Along the Mall, more than 250 soldiers lining the
:03:32. > :03:33.
:03:33. > :03:35.processional route, made of both officers, plus 240 men, from the
:03:35. > :03:39.1st Battalion Coldstream Guards and the 1st Battalion Irish Guards. In
:03:39. > :03:43.a short while, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and other members
:03:43. > :03:47.of the Royal Family will leave Buckingham Palace, the route even
:03:47. > :03:52.more familiar to everyone watching after the Diamond Jubilee events of
:03:52. > :03:56.the past month. There have been two full-scale rehearsals for today's
:03:56. > :04:00.parade on the past two Saturdays. Only this morning, the final
:04:00. > :04:04.details were being checked at Wellington Barracks, where we can
:04:04. > :04:14.join Clare Balding. Not the most glamorous of surroundings, because
:04:14. > :04:15.
:04:15. > :04:17.actually, this is an underground car park, just a temporary home for
:04:17. > :04:20.the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery. They have been here for
:04:20. > :04:27.the last few weeks, and they have been getting up very early. The
:04:27. > :04:37.guns have been rebuilt, cleaned inside and out. Some of this gear
:04:37. > :04:41.dates back to the First World War. These are small, chunky, sturdy
:04:41. > :04:46.horses, a bit different to the ones you will see in the Household
:04:46. > :04:50.Cavalry. They will be using chalk to make sure that all of these
:04:50. > :04:54.marks are gone. We will be joining our escorts to see how their
:04:54. > :04:59.preparations have been going. Coldstream Guards have had a very
:04:59. > :05:02.busy summer. They received new collars from Her Majesty the Queen.
:05:02. > :05:06.They provided a guard of honour at the State Opening of Parliament.
:05:06. > :05:12.They played a prominent role in the Jubilee celebrations. At all times
:05:12. > :05:19.they also stayed focused on their next deployment. The commander will
:05:19. > :05:22.always be focused on operations coming up. We had a directive the
:05:22. > :05:29.other day to get operations out of our heads, it was all about
:05:29. > :05:36.ceremonial. Don't mess up, get it right, do not let anybody down. Too
:05:36. > :05:39.much work has gone into it! main thought initially with
:05:39. > :05:44.Trooping the Colour this year will be to make sure that everybody is
:05:44. > :05:52.looking immaculate. If we do not have those straight lines, it will
:05:52. > :05:56.throw everything out. I started riding in September last year. I am
:05:56. > :06:04.struggling a bit, definitely, but hopefully it will come right on the
:06:04. > :06:08.day. Everybody knows the parade, everybody knows the format,
:06:08. > :06:12.everybody will be getting into the right position at the right time,
:06:12. > :06:16.and then you have just got to make sure that all of the individuals'
:06:16. > :06:22.hands are in the right position, maybe occasionally raising your
:06:22. > :06:26.voice slightly. To be able to go out in front of millions of people
:06:26. > :06:30.and to be able to perform the escort for the Trooping the Colour,
:06:30. > :06:35.it is going to be an absolute honour. It is a huge honour to be
:06:35. > :06:40.taking part, but I fear I will be concentrating on just staying on
:06:40. > :06:43.top of the horse! There is no better motivation for getting it
:06:43. > :06:47.right than the Queen actually taking the inspection on the day. I
:06:47. > :06:55.would like to think every single one of them will feel that pride on
:06:55. > :07:01.the day. Just a sense of the intense build-up to today's parade.
:07:01. > :07:05.The Escort this year provided by the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards,
:07:05. > :07:08.the oldest regiment in continuous service in the British Army, and
:07:08. > :07:12.one of seven regiments in the Household Division. These are the
:07:12. > :07:21.personal tropes of Her Majesty the Queen. The first battalion
:07:21. > :07:31.comprises an elite Light Infantry unit of 600 men. The Coldstream
:07:31. > :07:36.Guards is also providing a No 2 Guard and No 3 Guard. 80% of this
:07:36. > :07:41.particular company is new to the parade. Next to them, we have No 5
:07:41. > :07:44.Guard, found this year by 1st Battalion Irish Guards. Over the
:07:44. > :07:53.summer, they will be providing a lot of the security for the Olympic
:07:53. > :07:59.rowing and canoeing at Windsor. Next, No 4 Guard, found by Nijmegen
:07:59. > :08:01.Company, Grenadier Guards. The company has also been providing
:08:01. > :08:05.support to the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards serving in
:08:05. > :08:08.Afghanistan. They are serving with 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, who
:08:08. > :08:13.deployed to Helmand earlier this year. They sent us this brief
:08:14. > :08:18.message for the parade today. all of us in Afghanistan, we wish
:08:18. > :08:28.you the best on parade today. We look forward to taking part next
:08:28. > :08:33.
:08:33. > :08:35.year. That was a rousing cymru am byth there. The newcomer was
:08:35. > :08:45.presented to the 1st Battalion by the Queen at Windsor just a month
:08:45. > :08:46.
:08:46. > :08:53.ago. The battalion carrying 44 of the regiment's 113 Battle honours.
:08:53. > :09:03.6th June marks the 269th anniversary of the battle -- the
:09:03. > :09:06.
:09:06. > :09:09.Battle of Dettingen. Awarded the Military Cross for his bravery in
:09:10. > :09:14.Afghanistan in 2010 was Sergeant Paul Baines. We will be speaking to
:09:14. > :09:21.his family later in the programme. He is flight today by a two
:09:21. > :09:25.sentries to the colour. Those are Guardsman Gareth Etherington and
:09:25. > :09:29.Guardsman Kyle Dunbar. The officer commanding the parade today is the
:09:29. > :09:34.Field Officer in Brigade Waiting, Lieutenant Colonel Robin Sergeant,
:09:34. > :09:42.of the Coldstream Guards. He has been speaking with Clare about the
:09:42. > :09:47.challenge he faces today. This horse knows exactly what she is
:09:47. > :09:51.doing, which must be quite a comfort. It really is. She is not
:09:51. > :09:58.the most flashy horse in the stables, but I can rely on her. For
:09:58. > :10:06.an in from -- infantryman Lee like -- infantry man like me, it is very
:10:06. > :10:09.reassuring. We are immensely proud. Trooping the Colour in front of the
:10:09. > :10:14.Queen is always a huge privilege, something we take extremely
:10:14. > :10:20.seriously. This year, the eyes of the world are upon London.
:10:20. > :10:24.quite a challenge, and a very different one. There have been some
:10:24. > :10:28.additional challenges this year, no question. The men have been playing
:10:28. > :10:31.a large part in a number of the celebrations, which has made some
:10:31. > :10:36.of the preparation more disruptive than it might have been. The boys
:10:36. > :10:44.have worked really hard. I think we are set for a good parade. I know
:10:44. > :10:49.that the Coldstream Guards had a number of really strong candidates,
:10:49. > :10:58.and let's see which one was chosen. One young officer will take centre
:10:58. > :11:02.stage. We went to Sandhurst to meet the five people who are competing
:11:02. > :11:05.for the role of ensign. To have the honour of doing it in front of the
:11:05. > :11:12.Queen would be something overwhelming. It is not something
:11:13. > :11:16.you'd take lightly. My father himself was an ensign back in the
:11:16. > :11:21.1976 birthday Parade. Having heard his memories and seen the
:11:21. > :11:28.photographs, it would mean a lot. Particularly in the Diamond Jubilee
:11:28. > :11:34.year, it would mean a huge to mount to me. There is also the
:11:34. > :11:38.responsibility of filling these huge boots. Whoever gets to be the
:11:38. > :11:44.ensign, it will be a friendly pat on the back and catching up for a
:11:44. > :11:48.drink afterwards. I am looking for somebody who's proven
:11:48. > :11:54.professionally, but also has a great sense of humour, and is able
:11:54. > :11:58.to look after his blokes and lead from the front. On leaving
:11:58. > :12:03.Sandhurst, the officers are sent on infantry training. It is the
:12:03. > :12:07.perfect opportunity to show the qualities needed to be the ideal
:12:07. > :12:13.ensign. They will be tired and stressed, you cannot see very much
:12:13. > :12:20.around you, so they will be working hard to work out what is going on.
:12:20. > :12:25.This is hugely important for the role that we will do. The role of
:12:25. > :12:29.the ensign, many people might think, it is just a ceremonial role, but
:12:29. > :12:37.what is easy to forget is that every soldier on the troop, not
:12:37. > :12:43.just the ensign, is a battle soldier. It is now may, and we are
:12:43. > :12:53.in the location where we practise, effectively out of the public eye,
:12:53. > :12:53.
:12:53. > :13:01.and we have now selected our ensign. It is wonderful news, it is a
:13:01. > :13:03.wonderful way to start life in the regiment. I think Second Lieutenant
:13:03. > :13:08.Hugo Codrington comes across as being a very accomplished young
:13:08. > :13:12.officer. He cares passionately about his soldiers, that has come
:13:12. > :13:17.across all ready. And finally, I am pretty confident that the drill
:13:17. > :13:19.will go really well as well. the proudest of days for Second
:13:19. > :13:24.Lieutenant Hugo Codrington. And we will be hearing more about his
:13:24. > :13:28.family's links with the Coldstream Guards later on. Someone who knows
:13:28. > :13:38.every detail about this event is my guest once again this year, he
:13:38. > :13:39.
:13:39. > :13:44.commanded the parade himself back in 2009, he is Colonel Ben Farrell,
:13:44. > :13:49.formerly of the Irish Guards. morning two all a few, particularly
:13:49. > :13:52.those watching from Afghanistan today. Let's talk about the field
:13:52. > :13:55.officer - you have been there and done it, so what is going through
:13:55. > :13:59.his mind? I have been speaking to him this morning. He is feeling
:13:59. > :14:04.pretty relaxed and confident. I have to say, I was feeling pretty
:14:04. > :14:07.much the same myself at this moment, but at the time when I saw the
:14:07. > :14:10.Prime Minister, the Cabinet, the Chief of Defence Staff and most of
:14:10. > :14:15.the hierarchy of the nation, you suddenly begin to feel that this
:14:15. > :14:19.would be a bad day to fluff your lines. Making way now for the first
:14:19. > :14:29.of the royal carriages, which will be arriving in a few minutes' time.
:14:29. > :14:32.
:14:32. > :14:35.That departure is upon us, at Buckingham Palace. The first
:14:35. > :14:45.carriage is carrying the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duchess of Cambridge
:14:45. > :15:10.
:15:10. > :15:16.And in the second carriage, the Duke of York and his daughters,
:15:16. > :15:21.Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
:15:21. > :15:26.So, as the sovereigns' procession is about to get under way in just a
:15:26. > :15:31.few minute, let's join Clare Balding wufpbs again.
:15:31. > :15:38.Right outside Buckingham Palace with the Captain Roley. A busy,
:15:38. > :15:42.busy summer for you already? Enormously, yes. Most who're here
:15:42. > :15:46.were taking part in Her Majesty's Jubilee procession and now we are
:15:46. > :15:50.back here again for the birthday parade which is a really special
:15:50. > :15:53.one this year. Obviously it's special every year but in a Jubilee
:15:53. > :15:59.year we are really looking forward to taking part.
:15:59. > :16:04.The horses have to concentrate and are working hard. When do they have
:16:04. > :16:07.time off? We'll look to develop the bond between horse and rider in
:16:07. > :16:12.Norfolk by doing various exercise and Joe jumping. We take them to
:16:12. > :16:17.the beach and ride them bareback in the waves which is a really
:16:17. > :16:20.different experience to the horses. It really develops the trust and
:16:20. > :16:30.gives them a chance to cut loose a bit. Lovely to hear about that.
:16:30. > :16:49.
:16:49. > :16:53.Thank you and good luck today. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh
:16:53. > :16:55.depart. They'll make their way towards Horse Guards Parade. A new
:16:55. > :16:59.development for us this year because the Queen and the Duke
:16:59. > :17:05.travelling in the glass coach today. Buckingham Palace says this is
:17:05. > :17:09.because of the unpredictable nature of today's weather. The coach which
:17:09. > :17:16.has been in regular use over the past centuries, certainly for many
:17:16. > :17:19.Royal weddings, including the wedding of the young Princess
:17:19. > :17:24.Elizabeth and Prince Philip back in 1947. At Her Majesty's side once
:17:24. > :17:27.again this year is the Duke of Edinburgh who celebrated his 91th
:17:27. > :17:33.birthday last Sunday. He missed some of the Jubilee celebrations
:17:33. > :17:43.because of ill health. We have the Royal colonels following, the Duke
:17:43. > :17:50.
:17:50. > :17:56.of Cambridge, the Princess Royal is This is the scene along the Mall as
:17:56. > :17:59.the first carriages approach Horse Guards Parade. The Duchess of
:18:00. > :18:03.Cambridge. In the past year, she's carried out her first solo Royal
:18:03. > :18:07.event and delivered her first public speech as a member of the
:18:07. > :18:11.Royal Family. That was seen to be a great success. Prince Harry spent
:18:11. > :18:18.the past week on pre-deployment training at RAF Wattisham in
:18:18. > :18:28.Suffolk. He's a fully operational Apache helicopter pilot with the
:18:28. > :18:34.
:18:34. > :18:39.So these are the first karanls approaching Horse Guards Parade --
:18:39. > :18:43.carriages. We saw earlier No.3 guard parted to make way for first
:18:43. > :18:53.Royal guests. When they arrive on the parade ground, there'll be the
:18:53. > :19:29.
:19:29. > :19:32.national anthem to signal their Prince Harry salutes the colour,
:19:32. > :19:36.wearing the uniform of the Blues & Royals officer in dismount red view
:19:36. > :19:46.order, decorated with the wings of the Army air corps and his Golden
:19:46. > :19:49.
:19:50. > :19:53.Jubilee medal and Afghanistan Both sides of the Mall decked in
:19:53. > :20:01.Union Jacks, as they were for the Jubilee events. The flags will be
:20:01. > :20:04.flying on all Government buildings until sunket, that is to mark the
:20:04. > :20:08.sovereign's traditional birthday in the traditional way. The brigade
:20:08. > :20:13.major Andrew Speed, second time in that role, it's his responsibility
:20:13. > :20:18.to check that everything is up to scratch for the birthday parade.
:20:18. > :20:21.The Queen's birthday parade is our annual demonstration to the Monarch
:20:21. > :20:24.of our commitment to her and I think it's a celebration of the
:20:25. > :20:29.fact that she's dedicated herself both to the military and to the
:20:29. > :20:33.nation for 60 years. Sadly, this is my last year as the brigade major,
:20:33. > :20:39.I've been lucky enough to work with a great team who work very hard to
:20:39. > :20:44.produce these events. So there's a I think the of sadness, but equally,
:20:44. > :20:48.I'm looking forward to what will be a cracking parade -- there's a
:20:48. > :20:55.tinge of sadness. The major followed by the regiment formed in
:20:55. > :20:58.1969, a merger of two historic regiment, the Royal Dragoons and
:20:58. > :21:03.the Royal horse guards. They have distinctive red plumes
:21:04. > :21:13.and are wearing the state helmet that was design bid Prince Albert
:21:14. > :21:16.
:21:16. > :21:19.back in 18 42. They are followed by the mounted band of the Household
:21:19. > :21:23.Cavalry whose appearance is always one of the very high points of the
:21:23. > :21:33.birthday parade. The band directed by Captain Jason Griffiths of the
:21:33. > :21:39.
:21:39. > :21:45.Blues & Royals. His first time in A glimpse for us there of the Royal
:21:45. > :21:49.colonels, Duke of Cambridge, Duke of If Irish colonel guards will be
:21:49. > :21:53.celebrating his birthday this month in June. Colonel of the Welsh
:21:53. > :21:56.Guards today has been awarded the highest rank in all three military
:21:56. > :22:02.services by the Queen, Field Marshall Admiral of the fleet,
:22:02. > :22:12.marshal of the Air Force, Duke of Kent of the Scots Guards and the
:22:12. > :22:28.
:22:28. > :22:34.Princess Royal, colonel of the The most remarkable stpact that Her
:22:34. > :22:39.Majesty's taking the salute at every single parade that's been
:22:39. > :22:46.held -- remarkable fact. One was cancelled in the 50s because of a
:22:46. > :22:56.rail strike. One has been held almost every year since her
:22:56. > :23:17.
:23:17. > :23:23.Chelsea Pensioners represented by ten in-pensioners today with a
:23:23. > :23:28.combined service of 21 1 years, led by the Captain of invalids men
:23:28. > :23:33.Philip Shannon, used to be Director of The Music of the Irish Guards.
:23:33. > :23:43.On to the parade ground itself, Mark Hargreaves preparing to
:23:43. > :23:49.
:23:49. > :23:57.produce his distinctive salute of The Royal colonel saluting as they
:23:57. > :24:04.pass the colour and the non-Royal colonels, Lord Guthrie and
:24:04. > :24:10.Lieutenant Colonel James Bucknall will do likewise. The Queen's
:24:10. > :24:15.birthday of 2012 will get under way. At the stroke of 11 o'clock, the
:24:15. > :24:25.Queen will be stepping on to the base. The field officer will give
:24:25. > :24:52.
:24:52. > :25:02.his command and the national anthem, Fooled officer brigade in waiting,
:25:02. > :25:02.
:25:02. > :25:53.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:25:53. > :26:00.the Sergeant prepares to order the SO THE QUEEN'S FIRST DUTY IS TO
:26:00. > :26:06.INSPECT HER TROOPS AND THIS IS LIEUTENANT COLONEL STEPHEN
:26:06. > :26:10.BARNWELL'S FIRST PARADE AS SENIOR Director of music as appointed last
:26:10. > :26:20.year, just in time for the challenges of the Diamond Jubilee
:26:20. > :26:20.
:26:20. > :28:18.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:28:18. > :28:24.and the Olympic Games. He'll The music changes to West Country
:28:24. > :28:31.songs. An arrangement of traditional songs asofrb associated
:28:31. > :28:37.with the West Country where the Coldstream Guards have music
:28:37. > :28:42.associated with major Darren wolfen dale. The Queen will be wearing the
:28:42. > :28:46.brooch of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards. Then a lot is
:28:46. > :28:50.said about the very deep and meaningful relationship between
:28:50. > :28:55.these troops on parade today and Her Majesty. Ben, can you shed a
:28:55. > :28:58.little more light on that? Yes, Huw. The Queen is the colonel in Chief
:28:58. > :29:03.of the Seven regiments of the Household Division, the five
:29:03. > :29:07.regiments of Foot Guards and the two regiments of the Household
:29:07. > :29:11.Cavalry. She has had an enduring and very special relationship with
:29:11. > :29:14.the Foot Guards and Household Cavalry for many years. Of course
:29:15. > :29:18.perhaps even stronger these days when we witness three generations
:29:18. > :29:22.of the Royal Family on parade wearing a uniform of the regiments
:29:22. > :29:26.of the Household Division and not forgetting both her grandsons are
:29:26. > :29:33.currently serving within the Guards. So the Household Division as a
:29:33. > :29:43.being the personal bodyguards of Her Majesty the Queen and we can
:29:43. > :29:52.
:29:52. > :29:56.witness every day from the Royal In charge of all the soldiers on
:29:56. > :29:59.parade today is Major General George Norton, commanding the
:29:59. > :30:04.Household Division who commanded in parade himself in 200 3 and 2004
:30:04. > :30:08.and he's been sharing his thoughts on his new role.
:30:09. > :30:13.My personal experience began in 1985 as a young officer fresh out
:30:13. > :30:19.of Sandhurst when I commanded a half company of street liners. Most
:30:19. > :30:24.recently, it saw me commanding the parade both in 200 3 and 2004 as a
:30:24. > :30:29.commanding officer. Successful ceremonial calls for teamwork,
:30:29. > :30:32.attention to detail, discipline and all of these qualities translate
:30:32. > :30:42.directly to the battlefield, albeit that the days of marching in
:30:42. > :30:51.straight lines on the battlefield are long gone. So the parade stands
:30:51. > :30:56.by for one of the most popular military tunes. This tune by Dan
:30:56. > :31:01.Godfrey played first in 1869. It will be led forward by the major
:31:01. > :31:11.senior drum member and it signals that the Queen's birthday parade is
:31:11. > :31:11.
:31:11. > :35:55.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:35:55. > :36:02.American flavour have been included at the personal request of Major
:36:02. > :36:11.General George Norton, recognising the work done together by British
:36:11. > :36:17.and American forces in Afghanistan over the last 10 years. The lone
:36:17. > :36:21.drummer, Lance Sergeant Paul Blakelock, breaks away. He is from
:36:21. > :36:31.Tyne and Wear, he has served in Northern Ireland, Iraq and
:36:31. > :36:31.
:36:31. > :37:30.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:37:30. > :37:40.the next phase is about to start. In days gone by, it was the
:37:40. > :37:40.
:37:40. > :39:04.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:39:04. > :39:14.subaltern's responsibility to big, bold, proud moment for them,
:39:14. > :39:16.
:39:16. > :39:22.on their way to escort the colour. We mentioned the a leaked like
:39:22. > :39:26.infantry role - define that for us, Ben. Over many years, the role has
:39:26. > :39:31.been to close with the enemy in the closest combat. But I think this
:39:31. > :39:34.role has become increasingly sophisticated over many years.
:39:34. > :39:38.Units like the Coldstream Guards, who are currently in Afghanistan,
:39:38. > :39:43.are engaged in training, mentoring and supporting the Afghan forces,
:39:43. > :39:50.as well as passing the message to the population of Afghanistan that
:39:50. > :39:55.their purpose is to be there to provide a safe and secure future
:39:55. > :40:05.for the people of Afghanistan. They have to be adaptable and able to
:40:05. > :40:05.
:40:05. > :40:55.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:40:55. > :41:05.operate in complex and demanding over the sword so that the Trooping
:41:05. > :41:33.
:41:33. > :41:43.colour. He now prepares to hand over possession to the ensign,
:41:43. > :41:43.
:41:43. > :42:53.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:42:53. > :43:03.Colour through the ranks is about to start. The regimental Sergeant
:43:03. > :43:31.
:43:31. > :43:41.Major turns to the rear. The colour Escort, to the colour, slow march!
:43:41. > :44:10.
:44:10. > :44:16.So, the Escort advances in slow of the challenge facing the bands.
:44:16. > :44:22.They have very little room for manoeuvre. This is easily the most
:44:22. > :44:32.baffling move of the entire parade. Lots of standing still, and then
:44:32. > :44:32.
:44:32. > :45:13.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:45:13. > :45:16.suddenly, as if by magic, they are every guardsman aware of the
:45:16. > :45:23.significance of what is about to happen. For the Ensign, of course,
:45:23. > :45:28.bearing the colour, no doubting the honour, for him and for his family.
:45:28. > :45:34.The Codringtons are a bit of a military family and there have been
:45:35. > :45:38.two former Coldstreams who went all the way up to become Lieutenant and
:45:38. > :45:42.colonel. To be the new forward in the next generation to carry on the
:45:42. > :45:47.tradition, I'm very proud to be a part of it and I hope it will
:45:47. > :45:51.continue long after I'm gone too. Being the Ensign is something that
:45:51. > :45:56.only comes around once every nine years for each guard battalion. So
:45:56. > :46:01.to be in my shoes now means I'm very fortunate. It's not something
:46:01. > :46:06.I ever pecksed to be doing. doubting the Coldstream credentials
:46:06. > :46:09.of the Codringtons, Ben? Some familys have a long and
:46:09. > :46:14.distinguished history within the division. As we look at the formal
:46:14. > :46:18.process of trapping the colour. What does that signify? It's worth
:46:18. > :46:24.reflecting that these parades have very practical origins and formerly
:46:24. > :46:29.within the Army, dating back to 1746, but before that, barons and
:46:29. > :46:33.chieftains used to use their flags and banners or colours as rallying
:46:33. > :46:36.points on the battlefield. They used to troop the flags through the
:46:36. > :46:40.ranks of their soldiers to allow them to recognise them. In the
:46:40. > :46:45.chaos of battle, the soldiers were able to rally at their points. What
:46:45. > :46:55.we see today, although very much ceremonial, has deep, historical
:46:55. > :47:16.
:47:16. > :47:20.highly decorated, including the accumulated service medal which
:47:20. > :47:26.involves Iraq and Afghanistan and more medals being added today, Ben?
:47:26. > :47:32.It's worth mentioning that Neil Lowry, capital major of F Company
:47:32. > :47:36.has been awarded the service medal today, as has colour sergeant David
:47:36. > :47:40.Rodgers who's on parade. As a colour point marker. He will
:47:40. > :47:44.shortly become the Queen's piper, so a fantastic day for both of them.
:47:44. > :47:48.In this Diamond Jubilee year, 440,000 Diamond Jubilee medals have
:47:48. > :47:53.been issued to those in the Armed Forces and indaed other services
:47:53. > :48:03.too? -- indeed in other services too.
:48:03. > :48:03.
:48:03. > :48:46.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:48:46. > :48:50.Halt. Excourt, to the colour. Turn. The officers ordered to take post.
:48:50. > :49:00.Only the captains remain in front of the Forwards and the colour
:49:00. > :49:00.
:49:00. > :49:41.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:49:41. > :49:45.A moment of relief too probably for lots of the guardsmen who've been
:49:45. > :49:49.standing still for well over an hour. But it's not a moment to
:49:50. > :49:54.relax, because the march-past is about to take place. And trying to
:49:54. > :49:58.keep that line of so many men straight is a precision task really
:49:58. > :50:08.which requires a lot of concentration and confidence and is
:50:08. > :50:08.
:50:08. > :51:23.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:51:23. > :51:28.old Coldstream slow marches the colour, a moment then to
:51:28. > :51:33.reflect, Ben, on how long the Guards have had to prepare for this
:51:34. > :51:37.parade? We've always had a period described adds spring drills in the
:51:37. > :51:41.past where regiments could prepare for several months before a Queen's
:51:41. > :51:45.birthday parade. Over the recent years as the Army's become
:51:45. > :51:48.increasingly busy, this time has been limited and none more so than
:51:48. > :51:52.this year when the Coldstream Guards have been involved in so
:51:52. > :51:56.many different events before today. So they've had no time for spring
:51:56. > :51:59.drills. We were always warned of peaking early in our preparations
:51:59. > :52:03.for this parade. I think in my discussions with Rob, he certainly
:52:03. > :52:13.said there was no danger of them peaking early. He was hoping they'd
:52:13. > :52:28.
:52:28. > :52:38.peak today. Looking at it so far, I Guards and the Major of the praid -
:52:38. > :52:44.
:52:44. > :52:54.first trooped their colour for the Queen back in 1954. This is the
:52:54. > :53:00.sixth time they've been given the honour, the last time was 1999.
:53:00. > :53:09.Guardsman Dowell from Leicester is 6'9", one of the tallest guardsmen
:53:09. > :53:19.on parade today. The Prime Minister and Samantha Cameron enjoying the
:53:19. > :53:37.
:53:37. > :53:42.parade with lots of other people in the Escort, taking position for the
:53:42. > :53:47.formal march-past when the Queen will take salute. Timing critical
:53:47. > :53:53.here. They have to get off in perfect shape. This slow march
:53:53. > :54:03.deceptively easy - the experts say it's very testing and on this
:54:03. > :54:03.
:54:03. > :55:03.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:55:03. > :55:13.gravel surface, it's certainly Batam of Dettingen. - Battle of
:55:13. > :55:13.
:55:13. > :56:36.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:56:36. > :56:46.Dettingen. The Ensign raises the the Grenadier Guards. The Irish
:56:46. > :57:01.
:57:01. > :57:11.chairman of the Irish Guards. The music changes to the slow march of
:57:11. > :57:32.
:57:32. > :57:36.the Queen. Patrick Wells, a class mate of Prince William's at Eton.
:57:36. > :57:42.One of the few old Etonians serving in the regiment at the moment, but
:57:42. > :57:52.does have a very rich tradition, over 850 Coldstream officers have
:57:52. > :58:04.
:58:04. > :58:14.saluted the Queen to show that the slow march past is complete and the
:58:14. > :58:37.
:58:37. > :58:41.everyone on parade without exception and for their friends and
:58:41. > :58:43.families. Clare has been speaking to one proud mother a little
:58:43. > :58:48.earlier. I'm with Susan Baines whose son
:58:48. > :58:52.Paul is the colour sergeant today. What a day for you? Yes, it's
:58:52. > :58:58.really special today to see him actually doing something like this
:58:58. > :59:06.instead of something dangerous. was awarded an MC wasn't he?
:59:06. > :59:12.for tour in Afghanistan 2011-2011. He wanted to accept the award on
:59:12. > :59:16.behalf of all the guards, because they all do a special job, not just
:59:16. > :59:22.him. Exactly and deflecting the attention. You have a connection
:59:22. > :59:27.with the Queen? Yes, I was born on Coronation Day and my mother named
:59:27. > :59:34.me after the Queen, Susan Elizabeth. Susan Elizabeth? Yes. Have a
:59:34. > :59:41.wonderful day. Thank you. So we have the red feathers, the neutral
:59:41. > :59:51.quick march, not sure how neutral that is. The red plumes are alluded
:59:51. > :00:28.
:00:28. > :00:31.to. The march-past was last played today then I suppose is the pride
:00:31. > :00:37.involved in this parade in putting on the best possible military
:00:37. > :00:41.display anywhere in the world. That's absolutely right, Huw. I
:00:41. > :00:44.always lake to reflect that what you are seeing today is a
:00:44. > :00:48.ceremonial occasion performed the the highest standard by battle-
:00:48. > :00:51.hardened soldiers. Looking at them today, pretty much the only part of
:00:51. > :00:55.the parade that's changed over the years is the weapons they are
:00:55. > :00:59.carrying, the weapons they'll deploy with, of course, on their
:00:59. > :01:04.operations. They are carrying the bayonets and they are hugely proud
:01:04. > :01:07.of the dual role. You can see the high standards today, reflected
:01:07. > :01:11.again in all they do overseas. Since operations began in
:01:11. > :01:15.Afghanistan and Iraq, the Household Division troops have deployed on
:01:15. > :01:18.multiple occasions and made a vast contribution and the Coldstream
:01:18. > :01:21.Guards have continued to distinguish themselves on
:01:21. > :01:31.operations both in Iraq, recently in Afghanistan with two tours in
:01:31. > :01:37.
:01:37. > :01:47.the last few years and another tour October 2013. The Household Cavalry
:01:47. > :01:47.
:01:47. > :02:46.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:02:46. > :02:56.Guards. A real sense of dynamism and energy. The Queen acknowledging
:02:56. > :03:36.
:03:36. > :03:46.the Colour at the rear of the Patrick's Day, the Quick march of
:03:46. > :03:46.
:03:46. > :04:35.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:04:35. > :04:40.Lieutenant Colonel Robin Sergeant, to take stock. He told us what the
:04:40. > :04:42.day meant for him. On one hand, I feel extraordinarily proud to be
:04:42. > :04:48.feel extraordinarily proud to be representing the regiment, to be on
:04:48. > :04:52.parade with my soldiers. I also feel a degree of trepidation,
:04:52. > :04:57.wanting to make sure that the parade is really of the standard
:04:57. > :05:01.which is expected by Her Majesty. The message that I give to my
:05:01. > :05:05.soldiers on parade is one that I am going to try to adhere to myself,
:05:05. > :05:09.which is to enjoy it. What an extraordinary thing to be part of,
:05:09. > :05:16.especially this year, in London, in especially this year, in London, in
:05:16. > :05:19.front of Her Majesty the Queen. it is quite a thought, Ben, that on
:05:19. > :05:24.this very parade ground, later in the summer, there will be a very
:05:24. > :05:28.different event taking place. BEN FARRELL: Yes, on Monday I think
:05:28. > :05:33.the preparations for the Olympic beach volleyball commence here. I
:05:33. > :05:43.understand there will be around 2,500 tons of sand laid, and it
:05:43. > :05:43.
:05:43. > :06:42.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:06:42. > :06:51.will transform itself into an take post! Quick march!
:06:51. > :07:01.The officers take post in front of the dance again -- in front of the
:07:01. > :07:01.
:07:01. > :08:02.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:08:02. > :08:07.cards again. The Colour will be the Mounted Bands. Training the
:08:07. > :08:11.horses takes three or four years, they get used to the noise, and the
:08:11. > :08:18.weight. And there is quite a strong wind at the moment, and the horses
:08:18. > :08:24.are being a little bit tricky to handle.
:08:24. > :08:34.CLARE BALDING: Achilles has been playing up a little bit for the
:08:34. > :08:47.
:08:47. > :08:52.Life Guards! For the Blues and from last year's Queen's Birthday
:08:52. > :08:58.Parade. The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery had to miss the
:08:58. > :09:03.parade as a precaution because of a suspected outbreak of disease. But
:09:03. > :09:13.this is now the 15th time they have been on parade. They have joined by
:09:13. > :09:53.
:09:53. > :09:59.a request from the Royal Family. as Commanding Officer of the parade
:09:59. > :10:09.for Major Mark Lewis. This march was composed by the Duchess of Kent
:10:09. > :10:14.
:10:14. > :10:24.in the 19th century, the mother of Queen Victoria. The lead gun,
:10:24. > :10:24.
:10:24. > :10:34.treated as the Colour of the troupe. The same respect paid to it as the
:10:34. > :10:38.
:10:38. > :10:48.Colour. These guns first saw service in the First World War.
:10:48. > :11:11.
:11:11. > :11:21.Each of the 613lb guns dates back Deverell. Deployed to Afghanistan
:11:21. > :11:46.
:11:46. > :11:52.in 2010 as part of the household Slow March of the Life Guards. The
:11:52. > :12:01.captain is riding a horse called Connery today. The Life Guards
:12:01. > :12:11.originally raised in 1660. Charles II, whilst in exile, selected
:12:11. > :12:13.
:12:13. > :12:23.members of a new regiment. And in their distinctive dark tunics, the
:12:23. > :12:51.
:12:51. > :13:01.the music, and their ears will prick up as soon as the first few
:13:01. > :13:15.
:13:15. > :13:25.Edward, riding Lucy. All of the horses are graded according to
:13:25. > :13:38.
:13:39. > :13:44.as they go by. Each gun is pulled by six horses. The three on the
:13:44. > :13:48.nearside are ridden, and the three on the far side are held by the
:13:48. > :13:53.person known as the glider. The front pair are the leaders, the
:13:53. > :13:59.tall, slightly more athletic courses. The centre pair are
:13:59. > :14:04.slightly smaller, adding extra draft Powell. The final set of
:14:04. > :14:14.forces other wheel courses, acting as the brakes of the team, and they
:14:14. > :14:36.
:14:36. > :14:46.usually quite thick-set, able to sitting trot, not the most
:14:46. > :15:16.
:15:16. > :15:26.that is their formal salute for Her Majesty. Led away by the Director
:15:26. > :15:39.
:15:39. > :15:49.of Music of the Blues & Royals, inwards as a signal to the Field
:15:49. > :15:49.
:15:49. > :16:50.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:16:50. > :16:55.Officer that the Household Cavalry moving towards the approach road.
:16:55. > :17:00.It's his ferocious attention to detail that's always noticeable at
:17:01. > :17:10.these great ceremonial events. So the field officer approaches the
:17:11. > :17:11.
:17:11. > :17:21.saluting base and will seek the Queen's permission to march off.
:17:21. > :17:36.
:17:36. > :17:40.Your Majesty's guards are ready to guests that we saw earlier have
:17:40. > :17:44.been watching from Horse Guards building. They're already on their
:17:44. > :17:54.way back to Buckingham Palace for that balcony appearance and the
:17:54. > :18:33.
:18:33. > :18:37.troops from Horse Guards Parade on the way back to Buckingham Palace
:18:37. > :18:47.where the day will continue for some of the Guardsmen because they
:18:47. > :18:55.
:18:55. > :19:01.commentator and Daily Mail writer Robert Hartman. A warm welcome to
:19:01. > :19:04.you. What do you make of the parade today? Thank you, Huw. It's great
:19:04. > :19:09.continuity here. Today is something of a breather in an extraordinary
:19:09. > :19:12.summer for the Queen. This is all very reassure tpwhi familiar. There
:19:12. > :19:19.have been many extraordinary sights over the last few weeks but now we
:19:19. > :19:24.have today and a week ahead, which is part of an anchor in the Royal
:19:24. > :19:28.calendar. The Queen's attended all her birthday parades. Next week, we
:19:28. > :19:33.have the gathering of all the Knights at the garter at Windsor,
:19:33. > :19:36.that leads to Royal Ascot. These are all events that she knows well
:19:36. > :19:40.and loves. Whilst big events, they're somewhat stress-free, shall
:19:40. > :19:44.we say, compared to some things we have seen in the last few days and
:19:44. > :19:47.weeks. One of the features of this year's Diamond Jubilee, of course,
:19:47. > :19:50.has been the prominence of the Queen's grandchildren in the
:19:50. > :19:53.official events, not just here in the UK, but throughout the
:19:53. > :19:59.Commonwealth. They've been paying their own personal tributes to the
:19:59. > :20:03.Queen, they've been sharing their stories and memories with us.
:20:03. > :20:07.What the Queen's managed to do is to bring the monarchy into the 21st
:20:07. > :20:11.century as best as she can. She's not had a blueprint or anyone
:20:11. > :20:17.telling her this is how to do it. She's very much done it her own way
:20:17. > :20:23.and, from my own point of view, that's been hugely successful.
:20:23. > :20:28.She's timeless. She is this figurehead that is in touch with
:20:28. > :20:33.every generation instinctively. world looks to her and follows her,
:20:33. > :20:38.the same as we do. We get actually the granny part of her, but she's
:20:38. > :20:43.this person that for 60 years has been there for everyone. In wars,
:20:44. > :20:50.the terrorism and everything. She's stood there and has taken it all in
:20:50. > :20:55.her stride. Regardless of the time of day, wherever she turns up,
:20:55. > :20:59.she's still full of life, smiling, able go into a room and bring the
:20:59. > :21:04.room to life. She shouldn't be doing these thingss at her time of
:21:05. > :21:10.leaf, but yet she carries on doing them all around the world.
:21:10. > :21:14.balance she seems to get with her public role and private role being
:21:14. > :21:18.a mother, grandmother and great grandmother, she's figured that
:21:18. > :21:21.balance out effectively. She's a good person to lead the family. She
:21:21. > :21:27.does it from the front and we all have massive respect for her and
:21:27. > :21:31.love her to bits. She doesn't care for celebrity and
:21:31. > :21:35.she really minds about having privacy in general. It's a very
:21:35. > :21:41.tricky line to draw between private and public and duty and I think
:21:41. > :21:45.she's carved her own way completely. My grandmother is the Queen. It's
:21:45. > :21:48.the Queen first then grandmother. In public, you know, that is your
:21:48. > :21:54.job, your public figure, that is the way that you behave and act and
:21:54. > :21:57.carry yourself out. She does that imMacratly. Behind closed door,
:21:57. > :22:00.she'll always be my grandmother. Obviously there are times when
:22:00. > :22:10.she's the Queen and she'll put her foot down, you know, during the
:22:10. > :22:10.
:22:11. > :22:15.Games if she's losing, she'll pull out the Queen card. Pulling out the
:22:15. > :22:19.Queen card, as related by Prince Harry. The view and perspective of
:22:19. > :22:24.2 grandchildren on the way that the Queen's fulfilled her duties over
:22:24. > :22:28.the past 60 years. After this birthday parade today, the glass
:22:28. > :22:33.coach returns to Buckingham Palace with the Queen and the Duke of
:22:34. > :22:38.Edinburgh. And a moment again to reflect after the voices rbgs
:22:38. > :22:41.Robert Hardman on the young Royals and the way they are managing to
:22:41. > :22:46.transform perceptions of the Royal Family? Yes, they really come into
:22:46. > :22:52.their own during this juebleefplt it's been a very demanding year for
:22:52. > :22:57.the Queen and the duck -- Jubilee year. -- the Queen and the Duke.
:22:57. > :23:01.Copping out and helping the Queen on key occasions, like today of
:23:02. > :23:06.course, but also through the big Jubilee tour. There was the Duchess
:23:06. > :23:09.of Cambridge at the Queen's side in Leicester when it was the Royal
:23:09. > :23:13.Maundy celebration in Europe. Princess Beatrice was there with
:23:13. > :23:19.the Queen. I think we are going to see more of this at these big
:23:19. > :23:23.occasions where there's a big Royal turnout. It's nice to fall back on
:23:23. > :23:28.three generations. It's that tricky balance, isn't it? How do you
:23:28. > :23:33.maintain tradition, underline heritage while modernising too?
:23:33. > :23:37.Monarchy is all about tradition and pomp on the surface but it has to
:23:37. > :23:41.evolve and remain relevant and accessible. It's a very difficult
:23:41. > :23:44.juggling act. It's bun we have the great successes of this reign --
:23:44. > :23:47.it's been one of the great successes of this reign. As we saw
:23:47. > :23:56.with Prince Harry for example, representing the Queen on her
:23:56. > :23:59.Jubilee tour overseas. He can bring a buzz to Royal events, as can the
:23:59. > :24:09.Duke and Duchess of Cambridge which is crucial if you are reaching out
:24:09. > :24:09.
:24:09. > :24:50.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds
:24:50. > :24:55.The scene in Green Park. King's Troop preparing to fire their 41
:24:55. > :25:00.gun salute in honour of the Queen's birthday.
:25:00. > :25:05.Enormous crowds on the Mall today for this Queen's birthday parade of
:25:05. > :25:10.2012, far bigger than we have seen for many years, reflecting all the
:25:10. > :25:15.excitement of the Diamond Jubilee. The police, as they always do,
:25:15. > :25:21.controlling the flow of the crowd along the Mall and around the Queen
:25:21. > :25:25.Victoria memorial on this bright sunny day, allowing them to best --
:25:25. > :25:32.the best possible view of the balcony. They want to get close to
:25:32. > :25:38.the railings and the balcony itself. In Green Park, the 41-gun salute is
:25:39. > :25:44.under way. A ten second interval between each round of fire, all of
:25:44. > :25:54.the individual firings counted and marked on leather pads in the
:25:54. > :26:08.
:26:08. > :26:13.The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are the first to arrive. The Prince
:26:13. > :26:17.of Wales getting ready to appear on the balcony too, along with Prince
:26:17. > :26:26.William, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry,
:26:26. > :26:36.the Duke of York, Countess of Wessex, the Duke of York's
:26:36. > :26:40.daughters. The four helicopters on the way. The Merlyn, the first of a
:26:40. > :26:45.new generation of advanced medium support helicopters for the RAF.
:26:45. > :26:51.From RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, we have a puma, battlefield helicopter.
:26:51. > :26:56.We have a Sea King, from RAF Valley, Prince William's base, of course.
:26:56. > :27:01.We have the Chinook, the familiar shape of that, really the workhorse
:27:01. > :27:05.of choice in Afghanistan carrying troops and equipment. They were
:27:05. > :27:08.meant to be followed by the Battle of Britain memorial flight, but
:27:08. > :27:17.sadly because of some windy conditions,, that's not possible,
:27:17. > :27:27.so we will not be seeing the Lancaster, Spitfire or Hurricane.
:27:27. > :27:30.
:27:30. > :27:38.But we will be seeing the great Hercules. The Hercules, of course,
:27:38. > :27:46.used primarily for moving equipment and personnel. Sebastien Davey is
:27:46. > :27:51.the flight Lieutenant today. The multiengine pilot trainers. All of
:27:51. > :27:58.it being enjoyed by the Royal Family as they wait for the next
:27:58. > :28:08.group of aircraft. It is the VC10 from RAF Brize Norton in
:28:08. > :28:12.
:28:13. > :28:19.Oxfordshire, and the two typhoons. The very iedge ail and capable
:28:19. > :28:29.combat aircraft -- agile. Now we have the E3D, air controlled and
:28:29. > :28:32.battle management platform. Ken Gunnings is the Captain. The
:28:32. > :28:38.tornado from vieding vital intelligence on enemy ground
:28:38. > :28:45.activity. And this is the Voyager, the RAF's newest aircraft, the
:28:45. > :28:51.replacement for the long-serving and sen rabble CV10 and tristars,
:28:51. > :28:55.60 metres long, huge wing span of 60 metres, the RAF's biggest ever
:28:55. > :29:03.aircraft, a spectacular plane. The excitement for the crowd of seeing
:29:03. > :29:13.the streams of red, white and blue in the skies above, the Red Arrows
:29:13. > :29:37.
:29:37. > :29:41.birthday parade of 2012 in Diamond acknowledge the applause of the
:29:41. > :29:46.crowd. A final thought, Robert Hardman from you and what today has
:29:47. > :29:50.meant? It's no coincidence that the Queen is wearing exactly the same
:29:50. > :29:54.primrose she wore for the Royal Wedding last year. That was a great