U.K. celebrates Queen Elizabeth's birthday with grand parade
LONDON Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her birthday Saturday with traditional pomp and circumstance, followed by a visit to her husband in the hospital.
More than 1,000 soldiers, horses and musicians took part in the parade known as "Trooping the Color," an annual ceremony marking the queen's official birthday.
The monarch's actual birthday was on April 21, when she turned 87.
"The idea of doing it after her birthday was really Edward VII's idea at the beginning of the 20th century," Dickie Arbiter, a former spokesman for the queen, told "CBS This Morning: Saturday." "He thought, as everybody else does think, that come [the summer] the weather is better. It really isn't, so you take the chance."
With Prince Philip unable to attend the celebration as he is recovering from abdominal surgery, the queen invited her cousin, the Duke of Kent, to accompany her in a vintage carriage.
The "Trooping the Color" ceremony originates from traditional battle preparations, when "colors," which refer to military flags, were carried down the rank to be seen by soldiers.
Other royals — including Prince Harry, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge — also were on hand to celebrate on Saturday.
After the parade, the queen visited Philip at a private London hospital.