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British royals turn out in force for Trooping the Colour

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The British royals were out in force on Saturday 14 June to attend Trooping the Colour in London.

In a stunning display of military tradition, pomp and pageantry, the parade celebrated the Queen's official birthday two months after she turned 88 on 21 April.

The morning ceremony began with the royal family leaving Buckingham Palace. The Duchess of Cambridge joined the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry in one carriage while Prince Andrew, Princess Eugenie, Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex travelled in another.

© Photo: Rex

Following in a third carriage were Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, and his sister Princess Alexandra.

Duchess Kate, née Kate Middleton, wore a new light blue jacket and skirt by Alexander McQueen and a similarly hued hat by milliner Jane Taylor. The Duchess of Cornwall looked equally as elegant in a pink blazer and hat, accessorising her outfit with a bold necklace made up of jewels and pearls.Kate previously chose to wear a coat from the British fashion house when she attended Trooping the Colour in 2013 while she was eight-months pregnant with Prince George.

© Photo: Getty Images

Britain's monarch Queen Elizabeth II was dressed in a light blue coat with navy trim by Angela Kelly and was seated alongside her husband the Duke of Edinburgh in the Ascot Landau carriage.

The Queen, who first attended Trooping the Colour in 1947 when she was 21, then descended the carriage to inspect 1,000 soldiers of the Household Division at Horse Guards Parade.

Saturday's ceremony, which was attended by Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha, was made up of over 1400 officers, 200 horses and over 500 band members.

Prince Charles, Prince William and Princess Anne joined the parade on horseback in their official roles as Royal Colonels. The Prince of Wales is Colonel of the Welsh Guards, Prince William of the Irish Guards and the Princess Royal is Colonel of the Blues and Royals.

© Photo: Getty Images

Following the parade the royals made their way back up The Mall to Buckingham Palace where they assembled on the balcony to watch the flypast.

Joining those who had taken part in the carriage procession were Princess Anne's husband Sir Timothy Lawrence, the Queen's first cousin once removed Lady Helen Taylor and her daughter Estella.

© Photo: Getty Images

The Duchess of Cambridge was seen talking to nine-year-old Estella during the ceremonial aircraft display, pointing at the crowd and the planes as they flew past.

Notably absent from proceedings were Princess Beatrice, Lady Louise Windsor and James Viscount Severn, who have all attended the historic event in previous years.

Royal watchers had been hoping that Prince George would join his parents on the balcony, but the young Prince of Cambridge did not make an appearance.It is thought that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge feel their 11-month-old son is too young at present to take part in the ceremony, as other royals including Lady Louise, Viscount Severn and the young princes William and Harry were all over the age of one when they first attended Trooping the Colour.