King Charles, known as an accomplished equestrian and former polo player, will no longer ride a horse during the Trooping the Colour parade, opting instead to travel by carriage for the procession from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade. This marks a return to the tradition followed by Queen Elizabeth II after retiring her horse Burmese in 1986, when she traveled by carriage until her final appearance in 2022. Charles first rode in the parade as monarch in 2023, the first sovereign to do so since the Queen, but is not expected to ride again.

The decision to step away from riding is influenced by King Charles’s recent cancer diagnosis, which has led him to make concessions while maintaining his duties. Additionally, his somewhat challenging experience in the 2023 parade—when his horse Noble unexpectedly broke into a canter and required reassurance—may have contributed to the change. Noble has also caused similar difficulties for Princess Anne in previous years, indicating the unpredictable nature of the horse during the event.