The Queen knights Captain Tom & Enjoys a mini Trooping the Colour
Her Majesty the Queen had a very busy day with an investiture for Captain Tom Moore, a scaled back COVID-19 style Trooping the Colour and her granddaughter, Princess Beatrice’s, surprise wedding. While there will be a separate post for the secret wedding, the knighting of Sir Captain Tom Moore and the mini Trooping were definitely highlights in what was a quiet summer for the royals due to the ongoing pandemic.
Sir Captain Tom Moore gained national attention when he began raising money for the NHS ahead of his birthday by walking 100 laps around his garden. He was originally aiming to raise £1,000 by his 100th birthday but by the morning of his hundredth birthday he had raised over £30 Million. By the time the campaign closed he raised £32.79 million for the NHS.
It was announced the Queen planned to invest him as a knight bachelor but with all current investitures postponed, they created a special investment ceremony just for him. Captain Tom Moore, as he is popularly known, was rumored to have politely turned down tea with the Queen in favor of a small party with his family to celebrate.
The Queen went on to celebrate after the investiture with a miniature version of the sovereign’s annual birthday parade, Trooping the Colour. The Welsh Guards put on an impressive socially distanced parade for the occasion which took place in the quadrangle at Windsor Castle.
Trooping is an important ceremonial parade as it is considered a great honour for the regiments who are participating each year. It is also important as a means of highlighting the incredible work of the British Armed Services as many regiments learn both operational and ceremonial roles. While some officers who were interviewed admitted that socially distanced marching posed new challenges, armed service personnel rose to the occasion to create an impressive display for her Majesty.
This year marked the Queens sixty third Trooping The Colour as sovereign and she has attended nearly every year since her father became King in 1936. xx