Prince William was given a stern telling-off by the late Queen Elizabeth II during the 2016 Trooping the Colour, after he disappeared from the crowd's view while crouching on the Buckingham Palace balcony. The incident occurred as the Royal Family gathered to mark the monarch's official birthday, a milestone in the royal calendar when the family watches the Royal Air Force flypast from the iconic balcony.
The Balcony Scolding
During the 2016 event, Princess Charlotte made her Trooping the Colour debut shortly after her first birthday, cradled by Kate, while young Prince George, then three years old, was under William's care. Positioned at the front of the balcony, George leaned over the edge to wave at the thousands of spectators. As William knelt down to chat with his son and explain the flypast, he was momentarily hidden from view. The Queen, displeased that the crowds could not see him, chastised her grandson by saying: "Stand up William. Don't crouch." William complied immediately, standing up and appearing rather embarrassed.
Other Instances of Royal Discipline
The reprimand was not the first time the monarch had put her foot down with William. In a Sky News documentary marking the Queen's 90th birthday in 2016, William recalled a childhood incident at Balmoral when he and his cousin Peter Phillips were caught causing mischief on a quad bike. He said: "We were chasing Zara around who was on a go-kart, and Peter and I managed to herd Zara into a lamppost and the lamppost came down and nearly squashed her. I remember my grandmother being the first person out at Balmoral running across the lawn in her kilt. She came charging over and gave us the most almighty b******ing, and that sort of stuck in my mind from that moment on."
Trooping the Colour Tradition
As heir to the throne, William made his Trooping the Colour balcony debut before his first birthday in 1984. In 2011, as a newlywed, he took part in his first parade on horseback, something he is expected to do again this year. The ceremony, held annually each June, has marked the sovereign's official birthday since King George IV's accession in 1820, with exceptions during the world wars and a national strike in 1955. In 2020, a scaled-down version took place at Windsor Castle due to the Covid pandemic. Trooping the Colour 2026, officially known as The King's Birthday Parade, is set for Saturday, June 13 in London.
