An Indian-born Sikh became the first guardsman to wear a turban during the parade. His fellow soldiers sported furry bearskin hats.
Charanpreet Singh Lall was part of the Queen's birthday festivities in London this weekend as part of his duties in the British Army.
While one of about a thousand soldiers, the 22-year-old Coldstream Guards soldier stood out during the Trooping the Colour ceremony because of his headwear: a turban.
“I hope that people watching, that they will just acknowledge it and that they will look at it as a new change in history,” said Lall, who was born in Punjab, India, and moved to the UK as a baby. “I hope that more people like me, not just Sikhs but from other religions and different backgrounds, that they will be encouraged to join the Army.
“I’m quite proud and I know that a lot of other people are proud of me as well,” he said before the event. “It is a good feeling … there’s going to be a lot of eyes and I am going to have an influence on other people.”
"Being the first turban-wearing Sikh to troop the colour and to be part of the escort is a really high honour for myself, and hopefully for everyone else as well," he said.
The guardsman said his family, including his mother, father and sister, who are "really, really proud" of him, will be there to watch him take part.
"My mum was crying on the day I passed out so I wonder what is going to happen to her when she sees me in this," he said.
While Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her actual birthday on April 21, the Trooping of the Colour takes place on any Saturday of June. This year the ceremony took place on June 9.
