Every year, members of the extended royal family gather at Buckingham Palace for the traditional Trooping the Colour ceremony. The event, which sees members of the British and Commonwealth armies parade for inspection [1], used to be purely a military ceremony, but since 1748, it has also celebrated the monarch's official birthday. It's an opportunity for the queen's children, grandchildren, cousins, nieces, and nephews to come together. Over the years, new generations have swelled the ranks, and last year the balcony was more packed than ever [2], with the addition of Meghan Markle, who had recently become the Duchess of Sussex [3]. This year, it's thought that Prince Louis may make his debut [4].
Taking a look back at previous Trooping the Colour ceremonies offers an incredible snapshot of how the royal family has grown and changed. From Prince William's first appearance — which was echoed years later when George made his debut [5] — to bittersweet moments like the queen mother's final turn on the balcony, take a look back now as we open the royal archives to explore the last few decades of the queen's official birthday celebrations, ahead of this year's event on June 8.
1956
Pictured: Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Prince Charles, Countess Mountbatten, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Anne, Prince Philip.
1958
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
1960
Pictured: Lord Mountbatten, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Prince Philip, Princess Anne.
1964
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth II (holding Prince Edward), Prince Andrew, Prince Philip.
1968
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth II surrounded by members of the royal family including the Queen Mother, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Prince Charles, Princess Margaret.
1970
Pictured: Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Princess Anne, members of the royal family.
1980
Pictured: Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Prince Andrew, Prince Charles, Princess Michael of Kent, Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth II, the Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Anne, Peter Phillips, Alexander, Earl of Ulster.
1982
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Princess Diana, Prince Charles, surrounded by members of the royal family.
1983
Pictured: Members of the extended royal family.
1992
Pictured: Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Princess Diana.
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth II.
1984
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Prince William, Prince Charles, Princess Margaret, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, Prince Philip.
1985
Pictured: Prince Philip, Peter Phillips, Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry, Zara Phillips, Princess Diana.
Pictured: Zara Phillips, Prince William, Lady Gabriella Windsor.
Pictured: Prince Edward.
1988
Pictured: Princess Margaret, Prince William, Price Harry, Princess Diana, Zara Phillips, Lady Gabriella Windsor, Lord Frederick Windsor.
Pictured: Prince William, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Prince Harry, Princess Diana.
1989
Pictured: Lord Frederick Windsor, Prince Michael of Kent, Princess Margaret, Prince Harry, Princess Alexandra, Princess Diana, Prince William, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
Pictured: Prince Harry.
1990
Pictured: Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Katharine, Duchess of Kent, Prince William, Prince Harry, Lord Frederick Windsor, Lady Rose Windsor.
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Princess Diana, Prince Harry.
1999
Pictured: Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward, Timothy Laurence, Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth II.
Pictured: Princess Anne.
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Prince Charles.
2000
Pictured: Countess Mountbatten, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Princess Margaret.
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret.
2001
Pictured: Members of the extended royal family.
Pictured: Prince Edward, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
2002
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip.
Pictured: Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II.
2003
Pictured: Prince Harry, Prince William, Princess Anne, Timothy Laurence, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward, Prince Charles.
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip.
Pictured: Prince Harry, Prince William.
Pictured: Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward.
2004
Pictured: Members of the extended royal family.
Pictured: Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip.
2005
Pictured: Prince William, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince Andrew, Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, Princess Anne, Timothy Laurence.
Pictured: Prince Charles.
Pictured: Prince Andrew, Prince Edward.
2006
Pictured: Prince Edward, Sophie, Duchess of Sussex, Princess Beatrice, Prince Andrew, Princess Eugenie, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince Harry, Princess Anne, Prince Charles, Timothy Laurence, Lady Helen Windsor.
Pictured: Princess Beatrice, Prince Andrew, Princess Eugenie.
Pictured: Prince Philip, Prince Harry, Princess Anne.
Pictured: Princess Anne, Prince Charles.
2007
Pictured: Prince Andrew, Princess Eugenie, Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Viscount Linley, Princess Anne.
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip.
Pictured: Princess Eugenie, Prince William.
2008
Pictured: Members of the extended British royal family.
Pictured: Princess Anne, Timothy Laurence, Queen Elizabeth II, Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
Pictured: Prince William, Prince Harry.
Pictured: Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Edward, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince Philip, Autumn Phillips, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles.
2009
Pictured: George Gilman, Lady Rose Gilman, Prince William, Prince Harry, Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Edward, Prince Philip, Charles Armstrong Jones, Tim Laurence, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles.
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip.
Pictured: Lady Rose Gilman, Prince William, Prince Harry.
Pictured: Prince Edward, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Lady Louise Windsor.
2010
Pictured: Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, Prince William, Prince Edward, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Michael of Kent, Prince Phillip, Katherine, Duchess of Kent, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Lady Helen Taylor.
Pictured: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William.
Pictured: Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice.
Pictured: Princess Anne.
2011
Pictured: Katharine, Duchess of Kent, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, Prince Michael of Kent, Princess Michael of Kent, Lady Frederick Windsor, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward, Lady Louise Windsor, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry, Prince Phillip.
Pictured: Lady Frederick Windsor, Kate Middleton, Prince William, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Lady Louise Windsor, Prince Edward.
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip.
Pictured: Kate Middleton, Prince William.
Pictured: Prince Harry, Prince Andrew.
2012
Pictured: Prince Andrew, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Anne, Prince Philip, Timothy Laurence, Lady Louise Windsor, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William.
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip.
Pictured: Kate Middleton, Prince William.
Pictured: Prince William, Princess Eugenie, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice.
Pictured: Lady Louise Windsor, Kate Middleton.
2013
Pictured: Prince Edward, Lady Louise Windsor, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, James, Viscount Severn, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Andrew, Prince Harry, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice.
Pictured: Prince Edward, Lady Louise Windsor, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, James, Viscount Severn, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles.
PIctured: Prince Harry.
Pictured: Prince William, Princess Eugenie.
Pictured: Prince Harry, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Kate Middleton.
Pictured: Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice.
2014
Pictured: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Princess Eugenie, Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth II, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince Phillip, Prince Edward, Prince Harry, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William.
Pictured: Prince Philip and Prince Harry
Pictured: Prince Harry, Kate Middleton, and Prince William.
Pictured: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
2015
Pictured: Princess Anne, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince George, Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, James, Viscount Severn, Prince Phillip, Prince Andrew.
Pictured: Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Pictured: Prince George and Prince William.
Pictured: Prince George, Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, James, Viscount Severn.
Pictured: Prince Andrew and Kate Middleton.
2016
Pictured: Mike Tindall, Zara Tindall, Princess Anne, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William, Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Peter Phillips, Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
Pictured: Prince William.
Pictured: Kate Middleton, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William, Prince Harry.
Pictured: Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Prince Edward.
Pictured: Kate Middleton, Princess Beatrice, Prince Andrew, Autumn Phillips.
2017
Pictured: Princess Eugenie, Queen Elizabeth II, Timothy Laurence, Prince Philip, Princess Anne (just seen), Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William, Savannah Phillips, Peter Phillips, Isla Phillips, Autumn Phillips.
2017
Pictured: Kate Middleton, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William.
Pictured: Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Philip.
Pictured: Princess Charlotte and Prince George
Pictured: Prince Harry, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Kate Middleton.
2018
Pictured: Members of the extended royal family.
Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle [6].
Pictured: Kate Middleton.
Pictured: Princess Charlotte, Savannah Phillips, and Prince George.
Pictured: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle [7], Prince Harry, Isla Phillips, Peter Phillips, Savannah Phillips, Autumn Phillips.