Private socially-distanced Trooping the Colour ceremony with just a few soldiers will be held inside Windsor Castle today to mark The Queen's official birthday
Event will feature a small number of Welsh Guardsmen
and military musicians
Maj Gen Christopher Ghika said this year's
circumstances 'clouded in tragedy'
Said event offers 'unique opportunity' to mark head of
state's milestone
Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
By HARRY
HOWARD FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED:
00:58, 13 June 2020 | UPDATED: 07:33, 13 June 2020
The Queen's
official birthday will be marked by a new ceremony created amid the
'devastating' Covid-19 outbreak, a senior Army officer has said.
Major
General Christopher Ghika, whose men will pay tribute to the Queen on Saturday,
said the event offers a 'unique opportunity' to commemorate the head of state's
milestone.
Windsor
Castle will host the ceremony - in place of Trooping the Colour - featuring a
small number of Welsh Guardsmen and military musicians taking part in a display
of precision marching created to observe social distancing rules.
Major
General Ghika, who commands the Household Division and all military support for
London's civil response to coronavirus, said: 'The circumstances of the
requirement to perform the birthday tribute at Windsor Castle this year are
clouded in tragedy.
The Queen's
official birthday will be marked by a new ceremony created amid the
'devastating' Covid-19 outbreak, a senior Army officer has said. Pictured: The
Queen and Prince Philip posed together at Windsor Castle for the Duke of
Edinburgh's 99th birthday last week +4
The Queen's
official birthday will be marked by a new ceremony created amid the
'devastating' Covid-19 outbreak, a senior Army officer has said. Pictured: The
Queen and Prince Philip posed together at Windsor Castle for the Duke of
Edinburgh's 99th birthday last week
Major
General Christopher Ghika, whose men will pay tribute to the Queen on Saturday,
said the event offers a 'unique opportunity' to commemorate the head of state's
milestone +4
Major
General Christopher Ghika, whose men will pay tribute to the Queen on Saturday,
said the event offers a 'unique opportunity' to commemorate the head of state's
milestone
'The
effects of Covid-19 have been devastating in terms of loss of life and the
threatening of livelihoods of so many across the country.
'People
have had to endure separation from loved ones, great uncertainty and the
suspension of so much of what is special about our national life.'
Frontline
workers could be rewarded with a Buckingham Palace garden party hosted by the
Queen
Britain's
frontline coronavirus workers may be rewarded for their efforts with a
Buckingham Palace garden party hosted by the Queen.
Under the
proposals reportedly being considered by the Government, councils have started
compiling lists of people who deserve to be recognised with an invitation to
the proposed palace party.
A
Government source told the Daily Mirror: 'There's a firm-held belief that this
would be a fitting way to celebrate those people who have sacrificed so much on
the coronavirus front line, whether it be in hospitals, care homes,
supermarkets or postal staff working tirelessly to keep our country moving.
'It is
hoped a decision would be made towards the end of the year before proposals
could be finalised.'
A Palace
source said 'any Government proposal would be carefully considered'.
Servicemen
from the Household Division - which includes the Welsh Guards - have been
formed into a Covid Support Force, with the soldiers carrying out coronavirus
tests at regional and mobile sites.
Maj Gen
Ghika said: 'The Welsh Guards and many of those on parade have recently been
deployed within the United Kingdom as part of the nation's response to the
virus and so the context of the ceremony is particularly poignant.'
The
ceremony will feature a detachment from the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, and a
reduced Massed Band of the Household Division taking part in a display in the
castle's quadrangle, created by Garrison Sergeant Major Warrant Officer Class 1
Andrew Stokes.
The
non-commissioned officer said: 'With fewer people on parade there is no hiding
place, there never is, and only the highest standard is acceptable.
'But more
spacing between individuals means that there is also no room for errors and so
the soldier has to really concentrate on their own personal drill, reaction to
orders, dressing and social distancing.'
One
Guardsman has a starring role - Lance Corporal Chusa Siwale, 29, originally
from Zambia, who will be the lone drummer for the ceremony delivering the
Drummer's Call to signal for the colour - or military flag - from the Welsh
Guards to be trooped - or marched - through the ranks.
A soldier
first, he is part of the Welsh Guards' assault pioneer platoon and was deployed
to Afghanistan in 2018 as a force protection commander.
He said:
'It is a huge privilege for me to be undertaking this key role in the parade at
what is a very difficult time for the UK.'
Normally
Guardsmen stand shoulder-to-shoulder during their drills or when formed up on
the parade ground, allowing them to maintain 'dressing' or staying in line with
one another.
But in
keeping with Covid-19 guidelines, each soldier will be tasked with standing 2.2
metres apart, measured by three turns of the Garrison Sergeant Major's pace
stick.
An event
like this has not been staged at Windsor for the sovereign's birthday since
1895, when a ceremony was held in honour of Queen Victoria.
When the
Queen arrives in the castle's quadrangle she will receive a royal salute which
will be followed by a set of military drills before the colour of the Welsh
Guards is trooped.
Commanded
by Lieutenant Colonel Henry Llewelyn-Usher, the ceremony will last around 20
minutes and broadcaster Huw Edwards will host a BBC One programme covering the
event live.
Normally
Guardsmen stand shoulder-to-shoulder during their drills or when formed up on
the parade ground, allowing them to maintain 'dressing' or staying in line with
one another +4
Normally
Guardsmen stand shoulder-to-shoulder during their drills or when formed up on
the parade ground, allowing them to maintain 'dressing' or staying in line with
one another
The news
comes after the Queen paid subtle tribute to her enduring love for husband
Prince Philip by wearing a heart-shaped diamond brooch for his official
birthday portrait.
The Queen,
94, donned the glittering Cullinan V brooch for the photo taken in the
quadrangle of Windsor Castle to mark the Duke of Edinburgh's 99th birthday
today.
The
centrepiece of the brooch is an 18.8 carat hear-shaped diamond, which was cut
from the largest diamond ever found, the 3,106 carat Cullinan.
The
heirloom once belonged to her grandmother, Queen Mary, wife of King George V,
and is a treasured by the Queen.
She has
worn it on a number of official engagements, including to London Fashion Week
in 2018, when she sat on the front row alongside Vogue editor-in-chief Anna
Wintour.
Queen's birthday marked with socially distanced
event at Windsor Castle
Welsh Guards stage unique ceremony to replace trooping
the colour during lockdown
Published
onSat 13 Jun 2020 14.29 BST
The Queen’s
official birthday has been marked with a brief ceremonial tribute by the
military under social distancing measures.
Soldiers
from the Welsh Guards, who a few weeks ago were staffing coronavirus test
centres, staged the unique event in the grounds of Windsor Castle, as the head
of state made her first official public appearance since lockdown was imposed.
The
traditional trooping the colour ceremony, which normally features hundreds of
servicemen and women and thousands of spectators, was ruled out because of the
threat of coronavirus.
But the
Household Division – made up of the British’s Army’s most prestigious regiments
– has a close affinity with the Queen and was keen to mark the milestone with a
ceremony described as mini-trooping.
L/Cpl Chusa
Siwale, 29, originally from Zambia, had a central role in the ceremony which
was created by WOI (GSM) Andrew Stokes.
The
guardsman, whose regiment is part of the Household Division, said it was a
“huge privilege” to be given the key role of performing the drummer’s call
during a difficult time for the country.
“Only four
weeks ago I was involved with testing key workers for Covid-19 as part of the
Welsh Guards’ contribution to the battle against the virus; now I am on parade
performing in front of Her Majesty,” he said. “This is a very proud day for
me.”
The
ceremony began when the Queen took her place on a dais in Windsor Castle’s
quadrangle and the royal salute was given by the troops and the national anthem
was played.
An event
like this marking the sovereign’s birthday has not been staged at Windsor since
1895, when a ceremony was held in honour of Queen Victoria.
Normally
soldiers stand shoulder-to-shoulder during drills or when formed up on the
parade ground, allowing them to maintain “dressing” – staying in line with one
another.
But under
Covid-19 guidelines, they stood 2.2 metres apart, measured by three turns of
the GSM’s pace stick.
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