BBC viewers were left 'in tears' as they watched the Trooping the Colour 2026 ceremony, with many expressing sadness for the Duke of Kent, who stood alone on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
As thousands assembled on the Mall to observe the ceremony, the Royal Family presented a united front, acknowledging onlookers before making their annual appearance on the balcony. The monarch was accompanied by Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Catherine and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Also commemorating the historic occasion were the Duke of Kent, Prince Edward, Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, on the balcony for the traditional RAF flypast.
While the Royal Family and crowds watched the spectacular flypast in wonder, BBC viewers were distracted by the solitary image of Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, standing apart from the other royals. On X/Twitter, one posted: "Aww, sad to see the Duke of Kent all by himself on the side." Another contributor said: "Why was the wonderful Duke of Kent right down one end of the balcony by himself? Couldn't someone go and stand with him, or have him move over near the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester? I was in tears. He looked so alone."
A third added: "The Duke of Kent is located at a considerable distance from the others on this balcony, poor man, he is really kept apart." Another queried: "What's up with Prince Edward (Kent) standing away from the family?" A fifth viewer wrote: "The Duke of Kent waaaay over on his own, is so sad." Another penned: "It is so sad to see the Duke of Kent standing so far apart from the rest of the family."
Despite the pared-back appearance on the Palace balcony, the 90-year-old, who is a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth, remains the eldest member of the Royal Family and continues to fulfil his working duties with the assistance of a walking aid. While the Duke played no part in the King's Birthday Parade, he spent a portion of his time on the balcony standing proudly beside Sir Tim Laurence, the Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The Royal also sent fans into a frenzy after he was spotted raising his mobile phone to capture videos of the crowds gathered below.
