Trooping The Colour this year certainly looks quite different from last year, but at least it's happening at all - there was a moment when it went up in the air as the Royal Family is shrinking the event towards the 7/4 UK general election. But Trooping the colour is turned on, set for Saturday, June15— it marks King Charles's second birthday parade, and, as mentioned, a bigger oddity than the previous year

The Palace is probably not surprised but sure not to attend because the Princess of Wales continues to receive treatment for cancer. She announced to the world on 3/22. Since then, Kate has maintained a very low profile, but according to reports this week, thankfully, Kate seems to be responding to the treatment and, better known, she also doesn't attend the Colonel's review on 6/8 a week ago; The Colonel's review is a traditional rehearsal for Trooping the colour, and Kate is not there to take the salute, she is usually the Colonel of the Irish guards (instead of her, Miller reports that Lieutenant General James Bucknall, KCB and CBE take the salute).

While all the news surrounding Kate's health appears to be positive — again, a blessing — and as Kate comes out on public outings here and there from behind the walls of Adelaide Cottage and Anmer Hall, Kensington Palace continues to stress the need for "space and time" for Kate to recover . Her return to public life is emerging, perhaps in the fall at the earliest, and perhaps by 2025. 

While Charles's birthday is on the 11th (and Queen Elizabeth's birthday was on the 4th), arranging colors on the 6th is the monarch's official birthday celebration, dating back to the 1700s.Last year, the king rode a horse during the parade, the first since 1986, this was the last year her Late Majesty did so. From 1986 until her death in 2022, she traveled in a carriage, and this year — as the king also fights cancer, as does his daughter-in-law Kate - Charles will ride in a carriage with his wife, Queen Camilla. Miller reports that the king and queen will ride in the Ascot Landau Carriage.Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are waving to the crowd after their wedding at St George's Chapel in 2018 in the same type of carriage they rode through Windsor. Prince William and Kate rode to Ascot Landau during their carriage procession through London following their wedding at Westminster Abbey in 2011.

Also interestingly, Miller has reported that other members of the Royal family are expected to attend outside the working Royal Family; only the working Royal Family attended last year, providing another change from year to year. This could mean appearing on the balcony of the famous Buckingham Palace of Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips. They were not at the garden party, but the children of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Lady Louise Windsor and Earl James of Wessex, may be there for a balcony look with the rest of the family. To this end, it is also reported that Lady Gabriella Kingston, who lost her husband Thomas suddenly and unexpectedly earlier this year, personally received an invitation from the king to join the family on the balcony with him.

"A full balcony would cheer the country," Richard Eden writes in this column for the Daily Mail. "It will be Philip to the monarchy in a difficult time. It will be a powerful display of unity and strength."

It will be interesting to see if Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will attend the Walk of Colour with their father, the Prince of Wales.

Trooping The Colour is one of the biggest military ceremonies of the year, with 1,600 parade soldiers, 400 musicians, and more than 200 horses, The Mirror reports. It is usually seen by members of the Royal Family from the palace balcony and ends with the Royal Air Force flypast over Buckingham Palace. 

It may be different, but it's good news that all colors are happening this year, not just the general election, but what the Royal family can only describe as one of the most rollercoaster years they've seen during many rollercoaster years.1