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All the best photos of Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, other royals at 2018 Trooping the Colour

trooping the colour royal family
Ainhoa Barcelona
Content Managing Editor
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Members of the British royal family came together on Saturday to celebrate the Queen's 92nd birthday at Trooping the Colour. The event is held every year on the second Saturday of June to officially mark the monarch's birthday.

Pomp and pageantry were the order of the day in central London, as the Queen and her family took part in a spectacular parade in the streets around Buckingham Palace. The monarch, who was not accompanied by her 96-year-old husband Prince Philip, was in high spirits as she attended one of the most colourful events of the royal calendar. She rode in her carriage down the Mall alone, waving to adoring crowds who had come out in their thousands.

She was joined by her four children Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Princess Anne, her grandchildren Prince William, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. William's wife Kate looked gorgeous, taking a break from maternity leave to celebrate the Queen's big day. Harry's wife the new Duchess of Sussex, meanwhile, was making her debut at Trooping the Colour.

Click through for the best photos from the royal day…

prince harry explainin meghan markle

Meghan Markle looked as stylish as ever during the annual celebrations, and chose to wear a gorgeous pale pink Carolina Herrera dress for her first Trooping the Colour. Her outfit was accessorised with a CH Carolina Herrera Metropolitan clutch, a Philip Treacy hat, and was finished off with her signature minimalist jewellery. Beauty-wise, Meghan styled her brunette hair in tighter curls than usual, wearing a glossy lip instead of her usual natural lip balm.

kate middleton maternity leave

The Duchess of Cambridge made a brief return to the spotlight. Kate, who is on maternity leave, looked incredible, living up to her stylish reputation in a pastel blue dress by one of her favourite designers, Alexander McQueen. She accessorised with a matching hat by Juliette Botterill and had her hair swept into an elegant chignon.

The Duchess rode in the first carriage with Prince Charles' wife Camilla, who was also lovely in a blue Bruce Oldfield coat and dress, with the pair leading the procession in central London.

lady louise trooping

The Countess of Wessex shared a carriage with her daughter Lady Louise Windsor, and the Queen's granddaughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

prince william trooping

Prince Charles, Prince William and Princess Anne rode behind the Queen on horseback.

royals watching parade

The Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge, who coordinated in blue, took in the crowds from the iconic palace balcony.

beatrice wessex watching parade

Before their moment on the balcony, Princess Beatrice had a peek out the window to see the action below. 

trooping the colour first turban

A guardsman is the first to wear a turban at Trooping the Colour in its 250-year history.

trooping the colour 2018

Pomp and pageantry were the order of the day at the annual military parade. Thousands of crowds had descended on the Mall and the streets around Buckingham Palace for the Queen's birthday. 

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A look at Her Majesty's birthday RAF flypast. A total of 23 aircrafts took part in the display.

balcony royal family trooping the colour© Photo: PA

Prince Harry seemed to exchange a joke with his father Prince Charles as they posed on the balcony, while the Duchess of Cambridge attended to the children.

flypast trooping the colour© Photo: PA

As always, there were excited facial expressions all around as the spectacular flypast came overhead. Prince Harry looked over to see new wife Meghan's reaction as she watched for the first time!

kate meghan markle chatting balcony

Kate chatted to the newest member of the family, the Duchess of Sussex, who was making her debut at Trooping the Colour. 

royal kids© Photo: PA

Princess Charlotte couldn't resist a cheeky peek over the balcony as her parents giggled behind her!

savannah isla phillips© Photo: PA

The crowds saw plenty of adorable moments between George and Charlotte and their second cousins Savannah and Isla Phillips, too. At one point, Savannah could be seen clasping her hand over George's mouth, and telling him to "shh!" during the ceremony!

princess charlotte kate© Photo: PA

For a moment, little Charlotte looked to her mum for comfort during the flypast - as Kate scooped her up into her arms to give her a cuddle.

trooping the colour royal family© Photo: PA

The money shot! The royal family gather on the balcony to watch the spectacle.

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