After the Trooping the Colour ceremony, which marks the British king or queen’s official birthday, the royal family stands on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch planes fly by and wave to the people below.
This tradition is one of the biggest royal events of the year. But sometimes, there are awkward moments on that balcony. For example, in 2018, Meghan Markle had an uncomfortable moment with the Princess of Wales (formerly Kate Middleton). In his book “Spare,” Prince Harry wrote about it. Meghan was asked by her sister-in-law what she thought about her first Trooping the Colour event. Meghan said, “Colourful,” but no one laughed or smiled. Harry said the moment was very awkward and silent.
People watching did not see this happen, but it must have been very uncomfortable. Over the years, other embarrassing moments have been caught on camera. Here are some moments the royal family might not want you to remember:
In 2016, Prince George and Princess Charlotte were on the balcony with other family members for Trooping the Colour. Kate was holding Charlotte, and George, standing next to his father, looked tired and bored. William bent down next to him to try to cheer him up and show him things before the flypast. However, Queen Elizabeth II did not like seeing her grandson bent down on the balcony. Cameras caught the queen scolding William, who quickly stood up as the family got ready to watch the planes.
Another awkward moment happened in 2019. Just before the national anthem played, Meghan turned around to ask Harry something. Harry ignored her and told her to “turn around.” Meghan looked surprised and tried to speak to him again, but Harry told her a second time to “turn around.” Meghan finally faced forward just in time for the song to start but looked like she was about to cry.
After the Trooping the Colour parade in 2023, a video on social media showed Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (formerly the Countess of Wessex), talking to Princess Charlotte before their balcony appearance. Charlotte seemed impatient and wanted to know how much longer it would be. Some royal fans thought the duchess was scolding the young princess and telling her to “sit down.” However, a professional lip reader told the Daily Star that Charlotte asked her great aunt, “Sophie, how long will it be?” and the duchess replied, “I think it’s now.
Another moment happened in 2022 when Prince Louis, William and Kate’s youngest son, was seen making funny faces and covering his ears because the planes were too loud. Kate tried to calm him down, but the cameras caught it all. The pictures and videos quickly spread on social media, making many people smile but probably embarrassing the royal family.
These moments show that even during important events, things don’t always go as planned. The royal family tries to keep things perfect, but sometimes, they have to deal with unexpected and awkward situations, just like everyone else.
