London: King Charles III and senior members of the royal family wore black armbands during the Trooping the Colour ceremony on Saturday, paying tribute to the victims of the recent Air India plane crash — the deadliest aviation disaster in over a decade.
The tragedy occurred Thursday when a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London crashed shortly after departing from Ahmedabad, India. The aircraft, carrying 242 people, collided with a medical college hostel, resulting in the deaths of at least 270 individuals. Only one person is reported to have survived.
Among the deceased were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian.
Following the monarch’s inspection of the troops at Horse Guards Parade in central London, a minute’s silence was observed in honour of the victims. A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said the king had requested the gesture “to honour the lives lost, the grieving families, and all communities impacted by this horrific event.”
The monarch was accompanied on the palace balcony by Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and their children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Trooping the Colour, which marks the sovereign's official birthday, is a centuries-old tradition featuring military parades, bands, and ceremonial regalia. The event gets its name from the practice of parading regimental flags — or "colours" — before troops so they could be recognised in battle.
This year’s moment of reflection mirrored a similar tribute in 2017, when Queen Elizabeth II paused the ceremony in remembrance of the 72 lives lost in the Grenfell Tower fire.
