King Charles III to Lead Trooping the Colour in Mourning for Air India Crash Victims

King Charles III has directed members of the Royal Family participating in Saturday’s Trooping the Colour parade to wear black armbands in honour of the victims of the recent Air India plane crash, Buckingham Palace has announced.

The King has also requested a minute’s silence to be observed following his inspection of the troops, as a mark of respect for the 241 lives lost in the tragic crash near Ahmedabad. Only one person among the passengers and crew survived the disaster.

In a statement, a Palace spokesperson said the silence would be held “in recognition of the lives lost, the families in mourning, and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy.” The King had earlier sent a personal message of condolence, saying he was “desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad.”

This gesture of solidarity comes ahead of the ceremonial parade marking the King’s official birthday. Despite undergoing ongoing cancer treatment, the 75-year-old monarch is expected to travel by carriage—as he did last year—rather than on horseback.

The annual event will see 1,350 soldiers from the British Army’s Household Division take part in a display of precision and pageantry through central London. This year, the Coldstream Guards will present their regimental colours before the King on Horse Guards Parade.

The black armbands will be worn by coachmen, women on the carriages, and senior royals participating in military uniform, including the King and the Prince of Wales. Other royals attending but not in uniform are not expected to wear armbands, although flags at royal residences have been flying at half-mast since the crash.

Traditionally held in the summer to take advantage of better weather, the Trooping the Colour celebration dates back to the 17th century and includes a procession along the Mall and a balcony appearance by the Royal Family during a Red Arrows flypast over Buckingham Palace.

The parade will be closely watched, especially after last year’s emotional moment when the Princess of Wales made her first public appearance of the year while undergoing cancer treatment. She is currently in remission.

The King’s recent return from a successful visit to Canada and his continued participation in royal duties have offered reassurance amid his own health challenges. Saturday’s parade, now laced with solemn remembrance, is expected to reflect both the tradition of royal celebration and the nation’s capacity for compassion in the face of tragedy.

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