ON HORSEBACK FOR HIS HISTORIC BIRTHDAY PARADE TROOPING THE COLOUR THE KING RECEIVES STALWART SUPPORT FROM HIS FAMILY OF ROYAL COLONELS

'The first King's birthday parade since 1951, our first one in 72 years and the first time the King has taken the salute since 1950' Major Lt Col James Shaw

- EMILY NASH

Making history at his first official Birthday Parade as monarch and supported by members of his family, the King took part in Trooping the Colour on horseback last week.

Riding out from Buckingham Palace, His Majesty became the first reigning monarch to attend on horseback since 1986, when Queen Elizabeth II, then aged 60, rode her beloved steed Burmese - a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police - to the ceremony for the final time.

Despite being nearly 15 years older than his mother then was, the King, 74, was determined to ride in the parade, as he has done since 1975.

He showed expert horsemanship as he appeared on Noble also a gift from the Mounties earlier this year- patting her reassuringly to calm her nerves as they set off.

His Majesty wore the tunic of the guard of honour order, the Welsh Guards, his blue Garter sash and a bearskin. A year after his late mother celebrated her final Birthday Parade, his uniform still bore her EIR cypher, following the tradition where monarchs wear their precedessor's cypher.

Charles was just three when he attended his first Trooping the Colour in 1951, riding in a carriage with his grandmother the Queen Mother and aunt Princess Margaret.

Taking part this year for the first time as monarch, he wore his many service medals and military decorations along with the Garter star and the Orders of the Thistle, Bath and Merit. For the first time, he also wore the neck order of the Royal Victorian Order, which belonged to his father the late Duke of Edinburgh.

And he was ably supported by the six royal colonels - the Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Royal, Duke of Edinburgh and Duke of Kent - along with three of his proud grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.