Trooping the Colour 2023 flypast: Time, flight path and which aircraft are taking part

15 June 2023, 16:33 | Updated: 16 June 2023, 13:24

King Charles alongside a picture of the Red Arrows emitting red, white and blue smoke
King Charles will see a flypast more extravagant than the Trooping the Colour usually has. Picture: Alamy

By Zoe Adams

King Charles's Coronation flypast has been rescheduled for his Trooping the Colour parade but what time is it? And where in the UK will you be able to see the Red Arrows and more? Here's all the details.

King Charles and his senior royal family, including Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton, will gather on Saturday, June 17th, for the Trooping the Colour parade - his first as a monarch.

And while the parade itself, which will consist of more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians, will be impressive, many are mostly looking forward to the flypast.

Not only will an incredible 70 aircraft be flying over London to celebrate the King's summer birthday, it will also be the display originally scheduled for Coronation weekend, but which had to be scaled back due to bad weather.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton said: "We are very proud to be able to showcase our capabilities to our Commander-in-Chief, on this historic occasion for His Majesty The King.

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“We have planned a fitting and appropriate tribute for our monarch, that should be a true spectacle for the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth."

Often one of the most highly-anticipated moments of a royal event, here's everything you need to know about the royal flypast including the time, route and a list of all the aircraft taking place.

Flypast aircrafts beginning formation before London
Over 70 aircrafts will gather on Saturday to perform the flyover meant for the King's Coronation. Picture: Alamy

What time is the Trooping the Colour 2023 flypast?

As usual, the flypast will be the finale of the day's events for the King's birthday parade.

Set to last around 15 minutes, the flypast will officially start at 1pm in London. However, the aircraft will begin gathering over various parts of the UK so you may be able to catch a glimpse of them beforehand.

What is the trooping the Colour flypast route?

The flight path is never revealed exactly due to security and safety issues, however, the 70 pieces of aircraft will officially pull together their formation over the South East ready to fly past Buckingham palace.

If the plan has remained exactly the same as the Coronation flypast, you will be able to see them in parts of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. The areas where you are likely to catch a glimpse are:

Area A: North Sea and Norfolk Coast

Area B: Thetford, Norfolk and Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Area C: Ipswich, Suffolk

Area D: Colchester and Chelmsford, Essex

Area E: London

Area F: Croydon, London and Surrey

Area G: Reading, Berkshire, Swindon, Wiltshire and Oxford, Oxfordshire

Area H: Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire

Area I: Marlborough, Tidworth, Wiltshire

The Red Arrows emitting red, white and blue smoke above huge crowds outside Buckingham Palace
The Red Arrows are expected to perform their usual trick of emitting the Union Jack colours. Picture: Alamy

Which aircrafts will feature in the King's birthday parade?

Aircraft from all three branches of the armed services will take part in the flypast including historic aircraft, helicopters, combat air, air transport, training and display aircraft.

The event will feature a mix of aircraft ranging from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the C-130 Hercules, multiple Typhoon fighter jet aircraft and the Envoy IV CC1, making its flypast debut.

At the front of the flypast will be a Juno HT and of course, the famous Red Arrows will perform their tradition show of red, white and blue smoke.

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