The Sovereign's official birthday is celebrated with the ceremony of the King's Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Colour. This impressive display of pageantry takes place on a Saturday in June, performed by His Majesty’s personal troops of the Household Division on Horse Guards Parade. Over 1,400 officers and soldiers form the parade, together with two hundred horses; over four hundred musicians from ten bands and Corps of Drums march and play in unison. Some 113 words of command are given by the Officer in Command of the Parade, known as the Field Officer in Brigade Waiting. The parade route extends from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade and back again.
Each year, the full parade is actually conducted three times on consecutive weekends. The first occasion, known as The Major General’s Review, usually takes place two weeks before the King's Birthday Parade; the second occasion, known as The Colonel’s Review, usually takes place a week before the King's Birthday Parade.
