Queen Camilla and Duchess Sophie Captured on Camera Sharing a Sweet Moment—and We Almost Missed it

Here they are, all smiles, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. According to @royalfashionpolice, Queen Camilla was wearing a mint-colored coat and dress by Anna Valentine and a hat by Philip Treacy. Sophie was spotted in a Beulah London Yahvi dress in pale lemon with a matching Jane Taylor London Persephone crepe hat. She topped off the look with dangling yellow-gold earrings by Giulia Barela Jewelry.

The ceremony of Trooping the Colour is an old-school military practice where a regiment’s flags were paraded in front of soldiers in battle, but since 1748, it’s been done in honor of the official birthday of the British Sovereign. The ceremony of Trooping the Colour is thought to have first been performed as far back as King Charles II’s reign. Over 1,400 soldiers, 400 musicians and 200 horses take part in the event, marching and performing in unison.

The pair was standing alongside Prince William, Princess Catherine, their three children (Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte) and King Charles III. Prince William was also photographed on horseback during the Trooping the Colour parade, looking stoic in his red uniform and bearskin hat. During the procession, he rode alongside Princess Anne and Prince Edward.

As for King Charles, he inspected the soldiers from a carriage as opposed to from horseback during the ceremony. This break in tradition is likely due to His Majesty undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer.