Trooping the Colour parade marks Queen's official birthday

Getty Images Duke of Cambridge, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince LouisGetty Images
Prince Louis and his siblings joined other members of the Royal Family on the Buckingham Palace balcony

The Queen's official birthday has been marked with the annual Trooping the Colour parade.

She was joined by members of her family and thousands of spectators to watch the display in Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall.

The Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex all attended.

The Queen celebrated her 93rd birthday in April.

Reuters The Queen and other family members gathered to witness the Red Arrows perform a flypastReuters
The Queen and other royals gathered to witness the Red Arrows perform a flypast for the Trooping the Colour parade

The royal colonels - the Prince of Wales, colonel of the Welsh Guards, the Princess Royal, colonel of the Blues and Royals, the Duke of Cambridge, colonel of the Irish Guards and the Duke of York, colonel of the Grenadier Guards - all rode on horseback as part of the parade.

The Duchess of Sussex made her first appearance in public since giving birth to her son Archie four weeks ago.

Reuters The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their three childrenReuters
Prince Louis, carried by his mother Catherine alongside his father and siblings, waved at the planes as they flew by
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Danieal Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images Meghan and Prince Harry arriving at Trooping the ColourDanieal Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images
Meghan made her first appearance in public since the birth of her son, alongside Prince Harry
Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images The Duchess of Cambridge at Trooping the ColourDaniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images
The Duchess of Cambridge was sitting opposite Meghan in the carriage
Victoria Jones/PA Wire The Duke of Cambridge rides on horseback to Horse Guards ParadeVictoria Jones/PA Wire
Prince William rode on horseback as part of the parade
Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte peer out of the windows of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour paradeDaniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images
Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte watched proceedings from inside Buckingham Palace before joining their parents on the balcony
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Getty Images Members of the Welsh Guards, a regiment of Household Division, march to Horseguards parade during Trooping The ColourGetty Images
Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images The Queen at Trooping the Colour in a horse-drawn carriageTolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images

The Duke of Edinburgh, who celebrates his 98th birthday on Monday, has retired from official public duties and did not attend.

The Queen watched the ceremony - which this year parades the flag from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards - from a dais in Horse Guards Parade and she also inspected the lines of guardsmen.

Among the guests was Theresa May, who formally stepped down as Conservative party leader on Friday, but will remain in office until a successor has been appointed.

One soldier, Major Niall Hall, of the Regimental Adjutant of the Irish Guards, was thrown from his horse during the parade.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said Maj Hall was immediately treated by a medical team and taken to hospital. His injuries are not life-threatening.

Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images The Queen inspected the lines of guardsmen as part of the paradeTolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images
The Queen inspected the lines of guardsmen as part of the parade
Reuters Members of the Coldstream Guards take part in the paradeReuters
Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images The Trooping the Colour at Horseguards ParadeTolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images
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Peter Nicholls/Reuters Members of the Household Cavalry take part in the Trooping the Colour paradePeter Nicholls/Reuters
Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images Trooping the Colour paradeTolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images
Each guardsman trod more than 270 miles in rehearsals and took more than half a million steps
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After the parade, the Royal Family returned to Buckingham Palace, where they gathered on the balcony to watch the RAF flypast.

More than 20 aircraft took part including modern jets and historic aircraft, with the Red Arrows as the finale.

Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images Members of The Kings Troop Royal Artillery lead the parade down the Mall back to Buckingham Palace after of the Queens Birthday Parade, Trooping the ColourDaniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images
Members of the Kings Troop Royal Artillery led the parade down the Mall back to Buckingham Palace
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Spectators on the Mall on 8 June 2019
Crowds of spectators also walked along the Mall to Buckingham Palace ahead of the flypast
Peter Nicholls/Reuters The Red ArrowsPeter Nicholls/Reuters
The Red Arrows performed a flypast as part of the ceremony
Reuters The Red ArrowsReuters
Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire Trooping the Colour paradeDominic Lipinski/PA Wire
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Following the parade, which involved about 1,400 soldiers, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired a 41-gun salute in Green Park.

Trooping the Colour originated from traditional preparations for battle and has commemorated the birthday of the sovereign for more than 250 years.

Colours, or flags, were carried, or "trooped", down the rank so that they could be seen and recognised by the soldiers.