Charles and William Wear Black Armbands at Trooping the Color In a Somber Last-Minute Move

The addition to King Charles' uniform during Trooping the Color is a subtle tribute with deep meaning.

The celebration of King Charles’s third official birthday as the reigning monarch was nothing short of a spectacle. More than 1300 soldiers, 200 horses, and 300 musicians performed together for Trooping the Color to honor the monarch. Clad in the Coldstream Guards uniform, King Charles saluted the troops as they performed during the annual celebratory parade. Aside from the traditional elements, however, one new addition to the King and his son's uniform caught everyone’s attention. Charles wore a black armband, which Prince William was seen donning as well.

According to People Magazine, the armband was the King’s way of honoring the victims of the recent Air India plane crash that claimed at least 270 lives. The crash occurred two days before the king’s birthday celebration, on June 12, when an Air India flight, heading to London, crashed into a building in Ahmedabad, India, minutes after its takeoff.  All passengers and crew members lost their lives, with a lone survivor, who was identified as a British national. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was reportedly heavily fueled, which intensified the blast upon its crash. The incident sent shockwaves across the world, with people mourning the loss of lives.

To honor the victims of the tragedy, Buckingham Palace is said to have announced a uniform change a day before the Trooping the Color ceremony. The last-minute changes required a black armband to be worn by the sovereign, William, Royal Mews staff, and mounted officers in the parade. Besides the tribute via uniform, a moment of silence was also observed before the sounding of the Last Post, once the monarch took to the dais at Horse Guards Parade. A palace spokesperson told the magazine that the tribute was added as “a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy.”

Following the fatal crash, the King and Queen of the U.K. took to social media to pay their heartfelt tributes to the victims of the devastating tragedy. The joint statement read, “My wife and I have been desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning. Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they await news of their loved ones.” They also paid tribute to the emergency services and first responders for their contributions following the incident. The statement added, “I would like to pay a particular tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency services and all those providing help and support at this most heartbreaking and traumatic time.”

However, this wasn't the first time the King's official birthday was used to honor lost lives. The royal family previously paid tribute to the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 by incorporating a moment of silence during the annual celebration.  Meanwhile, Charles had his first Trooping the Color in 2023, during which he arrived on horseback. However, in 2025, the King entered a horse-drawn carriage amid his cancer treatment. Prince William, also the Colonel of the Welsh Guards, was seen leading the royals on horseback.