Trooping the Colour 2018: Newlyweds Prince Harry and Meghan Markle join annual birthday parade... as Queen takes part without Prince Philip

Newlyweds Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joined the Royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the Queen's annual birthday celebrations.

The couple looked happy and relaxed as they waved at adoring fans from the balcony as young relatives including Prince George and Princess Charlotte watched a fly-past of military planes and the Red Arrows in awe.

The Queen donned an electric blue outfit as she appeared without Prince Philip following his retirement from official duties in August last year.

The Queen, wearing an electric blue outfit, earlier left Buckingham Palace in a horse and carriage for the Trooping the Colour parade.

Trooping the Colour 2018

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The Duchess of Cambridge and Duchess of Cornwall, travelling together in a coach, led the carriage procession on a sunny Saturday morning at Whitehall's Horse Guards Parade.

Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, the Countess of Wessex and her daughter Lady Louise rode past in another carriage.

The Duchess of Sussex at the Trooping of the Colour - in pictures

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Crowds eager to capture a glimpse of Harry and Meghan cheered as the couple made their way from Buckingham Palace along the Mall in the famous London thoroughfare just three weeks after their wedding.

The royal couple was greeted by the sight of hundreds of Guardsmen in their scarlet tunics and bearskins lined up on the parade ground – Henry VIII's former jousting yard – as the event began.

Queen Elizabeth II on the way to Horse Guards Parade, ahead of the Trooping the Colour ceremony
PA

The Duchess of Sussex wore a dress by Carolina Herrera and a hat by Philip Treacy, while the Duchess of Cambridge wore a dress by Alexander McQueen and a hat by Juliette Botterill.

The Duchess of Cornwall wore a pale blue silk dress and coat by Bruce Oldfield, and a hat by Philip Treacy.

Camilla, Duchess Of Cornwall and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge during Trooping The Colour
Getty Images

The Queen, who recently had a successful eye operation to remove a cataract, will watch the Trooping ceremony from a dais in Horse Guards and later inspect the lines of guardsmen.

The annual event saw more than 1,000 soldiers taking part in the traditional display of pomp and pageantry. The colour paraded this year is the flag of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards.

Members of 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards during the Trooping the Colour ceremony
PA

The Duke of Edinburgh, who celebrates his 97th birthday on Sunday, has retired from official public duties and did not attend.

The royal colonels, all on horseback, accompanied the Queen: Prince of Wales, Colonel of the Welsh Guards, the Princess Royal, Colonel of the Blues and Royals, and the Duke of Cambridge, Colonel of the Irish Guards.

The Duke of York rode in the ceremony for the first time in his new role as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards.

The procession was accompanied by a Sovereign's Escort of the Household Cavalry, made up of Life Guards and Blues and Royals, in their silver and gold breastplates and plumed helmets.

The massed bands of the Household Division provided musical backing during the day and also taking part was the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery who, following the parade, fired a 41-gun salute in Green Park to mark the Queen's official birthday.

Queen Elizabeth II on the way to Horse Guards Parade
PA

After the ceremony the royal family headed back to Buckingham Palace and gathered on the balcony to watch the RAF flypast.

Among the 23 aircraft taking part were modern jets and historic aircraft, while the Red Arrows provided the finale.

Harry and Meghan share a carriage
REUTERS

Trooping the Colour originated from traditional preparations for battle. Colours, or flags, were carried, or "trooped", down the rank so that they could be seen and recognised by the soldiers.

In the 18th century, guards from the royal palaces assembled daily on Horse Guards to "troop the colours" and in 1748 it was announced that the parade would also mark the Sovereign's official birthday.

The Queen's actual birthday was on April 21 when she turned 92.

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