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The Queen stepped out of Windsor Castle to celebrate an unusual version of the Trooping the Colour ceremony. The monarch was all smiles as she looked at the Welsh Guards performing at the sound of the music played by the band of the Household Division. 

The Queen usually celebrates her official birthday in London, where many members of the Royal Family join the parade before gathering on the iconic balcony at Buckingham Palace.

The official ceremony usually features a flypast and thousands of soldiers, horse-drawn carriages and royal fans gathered outside the palace to celebrate the Queen.

However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, mass gatherings have been banned for the time being.

This made it impossible for the palace to carry on with the parade in its traditional form. 

But, not to let the monarch’s official birthday go unnoticed, officials devised an alternative, smaller version of Trooping the Colour, taking place in Berkshire and close to the public.

Buckingham Palace detailed the programme of today in a statement released earlier this week. 

It read: “The Queen will view a military ceremony in the quadrangle of Windsor Castle to mark Her Majesty’s official birthday on Saturday 13th June, 2020.

“The ceremony will be executed by soldiers from the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, who are currently on Guard at Windsor Castle, and feature music performed by a Band of the Household Division.

“Upon Her Majesty’s arrival in the Quadrangle, the Queen will be greeted by a royal salute.

“A series of military drills will then be carried out as the band plays, and the ceremony will conclude with a second salute before The Queen’s departure.”

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