On Saturday, the royal family attended the annual Trooping the Colour celebrations, delighting fans as they stepped out onto the balcony at Buckingham Palace to watch the flypast and wave to the crowds. But notably missing were Mike and Zara Tindall, along with their two young daughters Mia and Lena. While Zara's brother Peter and his family are regulars at the event, Mike and Zara often tend to miss it. This year, Zara spent the day competing in the Bramham International Horse Trials instead. The family are big fans of the horse trials, and no doubt Mike would have taken Mia and Lena along to cheer on their mum and make a day of it.
Mike and Zara Tindall were missing from Trooping the Colour
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While Mike and Zara don't always go to Trooping the Colour, they have attended the event during special occasions, including the Queen's 90th birthday. This year, the celebration had many highlights for royal fans, including the appearance of the Duchess of Sussex, who has been keeping a low profile during her maternity leave following the arrival of baby Archie. The event also saw Prince Louis make his balcony debut. The little boy excitedly waved to the crowds from his mum's arms, dressed in an adorable outfit that had been previously worn by both Prince Harry and Prince William. Prince Edward, the Countess of Wessex, Lady Louise Windsor, James, Viscount Severn, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice were just some of the other royals who celebrated the Queen's birthday.
The royal family on the balcony at the annual celebration
READ: Prince Louis perfects his royal wave at Trooping the Colour debut
Trooping the Colour is steeped in tradition and involves a military parade and the chance for the Queen to inspect her personal troops, the Household Division, on Horse Guards Parade in London. More than 1,400 officers take part as well as 200 horses and over 400 musicians from ten bands. The Queen usually spends her actual birthday in April privately. However, the occasion is marked publicly by gun salutes in central London: a 41 gun salute in Hyde Park, a 21 gun salute in Windsor Great Park and a 62 gun salute at the Tower of London.
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