TROOPING the Colour takes place annually to celebrate the King’s birthday.
One of the highlights of the event is a spectacular flypast involving an impressive selection of RAF aircraft – here’s everything you need to know about it.
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The flypast is an integral part of the Trooping the colour celebrations Credit: Getty Images
What is the Trooping the Colour flypast route?
The aircraft will take off from multiple RAF bases across the UK and will join forces in the North Sea, before approaching London from East Anglia.
They will reach Buckingham Palace at 1pm, with the flypast itself expected to last for around 6 minutes.
The flypast includes the iconic Red Arrows, which will depart from RAF Waddington at 12.27pm. They will pass over locations such as Lowestoft at around 12.48pm, and Colchester at 12.58pm, before bringing the spectacle to a close above Buckingham Palace.
The MOD explained: “The aircraft will take off from Royal Air Force stations around the United Kingdom, joining holding patterns around the North Sea before coming together in formation for the flypast. The aircraft will fly directly down the length of The Mall over Buckingham Palace.”
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The specifics of the flypast are subject to change, the MOD added, based on “weather, aircraft serviceability, and operational commitments.”
If it all proceeds as planned, you can see the full route – and the specific path planned for the Red Arrows – in the two maps below, per the website Military Airshows:
What aircraft will appear in the flypast?
A range of celebrated military aircraft will take part in the flypast, appearing in 10 waves:
Three Chinook helicopters
One Douglas Dakota (from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight)
One Thenom
Two Texans
One A400M military transport aircraft
One C17
One Voyager
Six Typhoons
One Poseidon MRA1
One Rivet Joint
All nine Red Arrows
Four F35Bs
When is Trooping the Colour?
The event is scheduled to begin at around 10am, and is due to finish at 1pm.
The running order of the celebration is as follows:
10am: Troops and bands gather at the Horse Guards parade.
10:45am: The Royal Procession, featuring King Charles and Prince William, leave Buckingham Palace to travel down to the Horse Guards Parade.
11am: The king takes the Royal Salute while the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery fires a 41-gun salute in Green Park.
11:05am-12pm – Royal and army traditions are carried out including the Kings inspection, the Massed Bands Troop, the Trooping the Colour and the Foot Guards marching past the king.
12:20pm – The King and royal family take the procession back to Buckingham Palace.
12:55pm – The royal family gather on balcony at Buckingham Palace
1pm – Flypast from military aircraft
How can I watch Trooping the Colour 2026?
Coverage of the event will be aired on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 10.30am on Saturday, June 13.
Clare Balding will host the live coverage of the annual event.
Those who miss the live coverage can watch highlights of the parade on BBC Two and iPlayer from 7.05pm.
