KEY POINTS
- More than 1,400 British soldiers were reviewed by Prince William, who is honorary Colonel of the Welsh Guards
- At least three guardsmen fainted during the military parade
- Prince William praised the soldiers for participating in the Colonel’s Review despite the heat
Prince William praised British soldiers for their dedication to their duty after several were overcome by the heat Saturday during the final rehearsal for the annual Trooping the Colour parade.
At least three guardsmen fainted while the Prince of Wales was reviewing more than 1,400 soldiers of the Household Division and the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery during what is known as the Colonel’s Review, the Associated Press reported.
Prince William, who is honorary Colonel of the Welsh Guards, later thanked the soldiers for completing the military parade despite “difficult conditions.”
“A big thank you to every soldier who took part in the Colonel’s Review this morning in the heat. Difficult conditions but you all did a really good job. Thank you. W,” the future king tweeted.
He added in another tweet: “Conducting the Colonel’s Review of the King’s Birthday Parade today. The hard work and preparation that goes into an event like this is a credit to all involved, especially in today’s conditions.”
A big thank you to every solider who took part in the Colonel’s Review this morning in the heat. Difficult conditions but you all did a really good job. Thank you. W
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) June 10, 2023
Royal fans praised Kate Middleton‘s husband for acknowledging the servicemen’s efforts and for braving the hot weather conditions himself to give a once-over to the military officers and their preparations for the Trooping the Colour.
“Thanks for giving us a peek behind the scenes!” one person tweeted.
Another added, “Why is it that I always feel a warm rush of sincere admiration every time I see a post from this account? I know why. It’s the respect they show to OTHERS and the genuineness of it. Thank you for your continued service.”
“Loved every minute. Everyone was very excited to see it, so impressed that you guys did all this perfectly in the heat,” a third commenter wrote.
Like the soldiers, the Prince of Wales was also dressed in full traditional military regalia, including a bearskin hat and a woolen tunic and slacks, during Saturday’s event in London, where the temperature was due to hit 30 Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) that day.
Photos from the event obtained by ITV showed the troops in full uniform keeled over as the city recorded its hottest temperatures of the year so far.
One photo showed a soldier being carried away on a stretcher after collapsing onto the street.
Shortly after the guard fainted, a trombone player in the Band of the Welsh Guards also got woozy while playing the instrument and eventually fell down without letting go of the brass, Us Weekly reported. The musician later stood up on his own.
The event was a rehearsal for Trooping the Colour, an annual celebration held each June to mark the monarch’s official birthday.
King Charles III will oversee the ceremony on June 17. The festivities will include a parade to Buckingham Palace and a military flypast with the members of the royal family watching the event from the palace balcony.
This year’s Trooping the Colour will be the first in honor of King Charles. He succeeded his mother Queen Elizabeth II as King in September 2022 after her passing. The new monarch was crowned alongside his wife, Queen Camilla, on May 6.
