The Duchess of Sussex Makes a Stylish Return for Trooping the Colour!

Fresh from their honeymoon, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined the Royal family for Trooping the Colour, the Queen"s annual birthday parade.

Harry and Meghan arriving at Buckingham Palace this morning.

The newlyweds returned on Thursday following a fortnight away. Their chosen location remains a mystery thus far, although seasoned royal reporters believe it"s likely they travelled to Africa given the significance the continent holds for them as a couple. Today"s appearance marks the beginning of a very busy six months for the Sussexes, and heralds the start of a new annual tradition. For readers who are new to following the royals, Trooping is one of a number of events we"ll see Meghan at annually. The grand military parade is one of the finest displays of pageantry in celebration of the monarch"s birthday.

The pair were all smiles as they travelled in a horse-drawn carriage for the procession. They were joined by the Duke of Kent.

Also in the procession; the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge.

Trooping the Colour actually originated in traditional preparations for battle. Colours, or flags, were trooped down the rank so they could be seen by the soldiers. In 1748, it was announced the parade would also mark the sovereign"s official birthday. The event is steeped in royal history and tradition. Although the Queen"s birthday is 21 April, it has long been tradition to celebrate the sovereign"s birthday publicly on a day in June, when there"s a better chance of good weather. Thankfully the weather cooperated today allowing the glorious display to unfold as planned.

More on the history of the day:

"The Sovereign"s birthday is officially celebrated by the ceremony of Trooping the Colour (Queen"s Birthday Parade). This impressive display of pageantry takes place on a Saturday in June by her personal troops, the Household Division, on Horse Guards Parade, with Her Majesty the Queen herself attending and taking the salute. The parade route extends from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and back again.

During the ceremony, The Queen is greeted by a Royal salute and carries out an inspection of the troops. After the massed bands have performed a musical "troop", the escorted Regimental Colour is carried down the ranks.The Foot Guards and the Household Cavalry then march past Her Majesty, and The King"s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, rank past.The Queen rides in a carriage back to Buckingham Palace at the head of her Guards, before taking the salute at the Palace from a dais."

The Queen has attended Trooping the Colour every year since 1947, except in 1955 when a national rail strike cancelled the event. Last Saturday marked 65 years since the Queen"s Coronation - 65 years dedicated to service and duty. On Thursday, Meghan will have the opportunity to see the monarch when she joins her for an overnight trip on the Royal Train ahead of a day of engagements in Chester.

I saw this photo of the Queen, then five-year-old Princess Elizabeth, taken at Trooping the Colour in 1931, with her mother the Duchess of York and her grandmother Queen Mary. Meghan wore Queen Mary"s bandeau tiara on her wedding day.

An enormous amount of planning and preparation goes into ensuring the annual event runs as smoothly as possibly.

Over 1,400 officers and military personnel are on parade, together with two hundred horses; over four hundred musicians from ten bands and corps of drums march and play as one.

Below, Prince Charles, Colonel of the Welsh Guards; Prince William, Colonel of the Irish Guards; the Princess Royal, Colonel of the Blues and Royals; and Prince Andrew. Harry doesn"t ride on horseback at the event as he"s not a Royal Colonel yet, neither did Andrew until this year when he succeeded his father as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards.

Then it was time for Meghan"s first Buckingham Palace balcony appearance...

Meghan and Kate chatting on the balcony.

A great shot of the newlyweds.

Curtsies from the Duchesses.

— Jason Ashby (@Jashalee) June 9, 2018

A highlight of Trooping is always seeing so many members of the family gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Below, young royals Charlotte, George and Savannah enjoying it.

There was a terrific turnout as always.

People reports "Among the many privileges of being the Queen: the Royal Air Force puts on a sky show in your honor. After returning to Buckingham Palace, the monarch concludes her birthday fanfare with a fly-past consisting of more than 25 military aircraft soaring brilliantly over the palace in small formations 30 seconds apart. In recent years, the RAF featured 28 aircraft of 13 different types, including The Red Arrows, an aerobatic team that decorated the London skyline with red, white and blue smoke."

A dramatic sight as the flypast approaches.

A video from the balcony.

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Meghan was stylish in a bespoke pale pink Caroline Herrera ensemble with large asymmetric buttons and an off-the-shoulder neckline. We"ve all been looking forward to seeing Meghan"s sartorial choices for today, I thought the choice very contemporary and stylish for the new Duchess.

Meghan"s hat is a bespoke Philip Treacy design.

Meghan accessorised with Birks rings.

What Meghan Wore notes they are the rose gold Snowflake and the Bee-Chic styles.

Meghan carried a bespoke Carolina Herrera clutch (with thanks to What Meghan Wore).

It was wonderful to see Meghan at her first Trooping! Source: http://madaboutmeghan.blogspot.com/2018/06/first-look-duchess-of-sussex-arrives.html