King Charles Leads Trooping Parade with Black Armbands for Air India Crash Victims

King Charles has ordered members of the British royal family to wear black armbands and observe a minute's silence during the Trooping the Colour parade to honor the 241 victims of the recent Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which included 53 British nationals. The monarch, who expressed being 'desperately shocked' and extended his deepest sympathy to the families affected, requested these changes as a mark of respect for the lives lost and the mourning communities. The minute's silence will be held after King Charles inspects the Coldstream Guards at Horse Guards Parade, and black armbands will be worn by senior royals participating in the ceremony, including those on horseback, while some members in civilian clothes will not wear them. This year's Trooping the Colour, marking King Charles's official birthday, will see him travel by carriage instead of horseback due to his ongoing cancer treatment. The modifications to the parade echo a similar response by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017 following the Grenfell Tower fire. The ceremony will culminate with the traditional Royal Family appearance on Buckingham Palace's balcony and an RAF flypast, with crowds lining The Mall to watch the event.