King Charles Will Break Royal Tradition Again at Trooping the Colour Amid Cancer Treatment

King Charles III will forgo horseback duties at this year's Trooping the Colour, marking the second consecutive year the monarch has altered tradition at his official birthday parade.

King Charles III is set to break with royal tradition once again at the Trooping the Colour ceremony on Saturday, June 14, 2025. The 76-year-old monarch will ride in a horse-drawn carriage rather than on horseback, as he continues to receive weekly treatment following his cancer diagnosis in February 2024.

According to The Times, this change could be permanent, signaling that Charles may have retired from riding in the parade, or casually, altogether.

The King rode horseback for the first time as sovereign during the 2023 celebration, becoming the first monarch to do so since Queen Elizabeth II in 1986. However, the moment proved challenging.

His horse, Noble, a black mare gifted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, appeared unsettled and broke into a canter mid-parade.

In 2024, Princess Anne took over the reins of Noble and skillfully brought the horse under control during another unruly moment. The Princess Royal, who turns 75 in August, is expected to ride horseback again this year.

Trooping the Colour is a longstanding military tradition performed by regiments of the British Army to mark the official birthday of the sovereign. While King Charles was born on November 14, the celebration is held each June, in keeping with the custom established to ensure better weather for the festivities.