I represented Britain at the Trooping of the Colours on 11 June. In Australia, the Queen’s Birthday weekend is a public holiday.
It was a crisp sunny day but cold, and the backdrop of Lake Burley Griffin, around which Canberra is sited, looked spectacular. Australia’s Royal Military College, Duntroon, is celebrating its centenary this year, so its cadets put on a fine display, and their band provided some stirring music. It’s interesting how often “Waltzing Matilda” features at these events.
A large public crowd had gathered to watch the ceremony, and seemed to enjoy it greatly. No doubt many were conscious that Australia had sadly lost four soldiers in Afghanistan in the previous couple of weeks. But bipartisan political support for Australian involvement remains strong.
I was reminded of the rehearsals for the Trooping of the Colour on Horse Guards Parade in London, where the music seems to be constantly wafting in through the windows of the FCO for several weeks before hand. It’s always nice when you’re calling a colleague in London from a distant country, at this time of the year, and you can hear the military bands in the background on the phone.