Royal fans have gathered to watch Prince William as he steps up for his first major role during Trooping the Colour.
The Prince of Wales is carrying out the Colonel's Review this morning, a week before the King's Birthday Parade next week.
Today's event is the final review of the parade before the main event attended by the King and other senior royals during Trooping the Colour on June 17.
The first review was carried out last week by Major General Christopher John Ghika CBE.
Image:
Getty Images)Over 1,400 soldiers of the Household Division and The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery are taking part in the review, including 400 musicians from the Massed Bands.
Next week's ceremony will also include 250 soldiers from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, the 1st Battalion Irish Guards and, for the first time, the 1st Battalion London Guards, who will line the processional route along The Mall.
Just after 9am this morning, the Prince of Wales, Colonel of the Welsh Guards, who will be inspecting the troops, tweeted: "Months of preparation and training go into Trooping the Colour.
"Today members of the Household Division will perform their final major rehearsal for the event in front of members of the public in London."
Image:
Getty Images)Members of the public can purchase tickets for the reviews, as well as for next week's event where King Charles is present.
Ticket's for last week's review cost £10, those for today's event cost £15 and for next week the price goes up to £30.
Trooping the Colour, also referred to as the King's Birthday Parade, is a celebration of the monarch's birthday and takes place in June.
It is a display of pageantry involving numerous troops and after the ceremony, the monarch joins other members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for a fly-past by the Royal Air Force.
Image:
PA)The first Trooping the Colour which is reviewed by The Major General usually takes place two weeks before the actual Birthday Parade.
The second Trooping the Colour which is reviewed by The Colonel of the Regiment usually takes place a week before the actual Birthday Parade.
Last year, during the first review by The Major General a woman fell through a stand alongside an eight-year-old boy and crowds were evacuated by emergency services.
