The King’s Birthday Parade Is Set for a Quiet Overhaul, and Critics Are Calling It 'Outrageous'
The Met is reportedly scaling back its police presence at Trooping the Color and handing over duties to a private firm, prompting alarm among military officials.
Royal fans eagerly await the annual Trooping the Color event on June 13, when the royals appear in full regalia on the Buckingham Palace balcony to celebrate the reigning monarch's birthday. This longstanding tradition, which began in 1760, honors the monarch with a regal parade that millions witness. Historically, the idea arose because adverse November weather prompted King George II to institute a summer birthday celebration. However, calls for a revamped monarchy suggest significant changes to the upcoming event.
The Metropolitan Police will reduce protection for Trooping the Color, providing minimal police presence for the King’s birthday parade and other ceremonial events. The Met will contract most responsibilities to a private company, as it has significantly cut the number of officers assigned to these events, The Telegraph reported.
The Met has announced budget cuts from next month, leading to a reallocation of officers to front-line policing based on threat, harm, and risk assessments. "They are not supporting Trooping the Color in the same way, nor many other events," a defense source stated. Reports indicate that the force has significantly reduced its police presence for Trooping the Color, maintaining only a minimal deployment. Over the past year, the Met has dispatched officers for military ceremonial events around 17,800 times, costing approximately $14.22 million (£10.6 million) and diverting them from frontline duties, including specialist roles like motorcycle officers in traffic divisions.
"The public rightly want to see officers on the front line, arresting criminals and keeping our city safe. That’s our priority," a MET spokesperson explained. Reportedly, the Met has discussed the changes with the Ministry of Defense, raising concerns among senior military figures, including Lord Dannatt, who questioned whether private security can provide the same level of protection at high-profile royal occasions. "The bottom line is internal security is the responsibility of the Metropolitan Police, end of story," he said. "I am surprised that a risk assessment can outsource something like this to private security. On the face of it, it sounds wrong and shouldn’t be driven on cost grounds."
An Army source highlighted concerns that private contractors cannot guarantee security for soldiers and the public amidst rising threats to military personnel in Britain, including the 2024 attempted murder of Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton. Shadow Defense Secretary James Cartlidge said changes to security arrangements are “very concerning” and stressed the importance of effective policing at major ceremonial events.
Liberal Democrat MP Mike Martin condemned the decision as “outrageous,” suggesting it could weaken national security. The Metropolitan Police said support for military events will be based on threat assessments, while the Ministry of Defense confirmed it would cooperate with police for ceremonial situations.
Meanwhile, Grant Harrold said Prince William might be keen to review the event when he ascends the throne, in a bid to tone down traditional setups. “There is no guarantee that Prince William will scrap the two-birthday tradition when he eventually becomes King, but some royal watchers have speculated that he could choose to review it,” Harrold stated.
