King Charles Honours Air India Crash Victims at Trooping The Colour
Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla ride a carriage as part of the Trooping the Colour parade which honours King Charles on his official birthday, in London, Britain, June 14, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
LONDON, June 14 (Bernama-PA Media/dpa) -- Britain's King Charles III wore a black armband in tribute to those killed in the Air India plane crash as the Trooping the Colour ceremony staged in his honour began.
Charles' official birthday, reported PA Media/dpa news, was marked with a display of military pomp and pageantry but at the king's request the event acknowledged the aviation disaster that claimed the lives of 241 passengers and crew, including more than 50 British nationals, as well as around 30 people on the ground.
The head of state and his wife left Buckingham Palace in a carriage at the head of a procession travelling along The Mall and into Horse Guards Parade where hundreds of guardsmen were on parade.
bootstrap slideshow
The appearance of the Prince and Princess of Wales' children sparked cheers when they were spotted in a carriage with their mother, Kate.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis followed the King and Queen, with other coaches carrying the Duchess of Edinburgh, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Riding behind Charles were the royal colonels, all wearing black armbands – the Prince of Wales, Colonel of the Welsh Guards; the Princess Royal, Colonel of the Blues and Royals; and the Duke of Edinburgh, Colonel of the Scots Guards.
The royal procession was accompanied by the Sovereign's Escort of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, to the sound of the Band of the Household Cavalry, led by two shire drum horses bearing solid silver kettle drums.
Senior officers taking part in Trooping also wore black arm bands as a mark of respect for the aviation victims, as did the coachmen and women from the Royal Mews, driving carriages carrying members of the royal family or riding on a coach's lead horse as a postilion.
A minute's silence will be observed after the king has inspected the guardsmen on the parade ground. It will be signalled by a bugler sounding the Last Post and will end with the Reveille.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
2 hours ago
- Borneo Post
A special tribute to fathers
hough often seen as stern, these fathers showed care in their own ways — through hard work, presence, and life lessons — reminding us to appreciate them while we can. – AFP photo FATHERS are often associated with discipline, sternness or authority, but these personal stories are a reminder that they too are learning as they go. They may not always get it right, but they grow with us – stumbling, adapting, and doing the best with the love they know how to give. Let's hear what these individuals have to say in their tributes to fathers. Balakrishnan Perumal What I remember most about my late father was that he was friendly, approachable and hardworking. He served as a Landscape Supervisor with the Public Works Department (JKR) in Ipoh, Perak, and was blessed with seven children, while my mother was a full-time housewife. Although he only completed Tamil school up to Year Six, he had the potential to pursue secondary education. However, during British colonial times, secondary school came with a fee that his family couldn't afford. Despite that, he secured a civil service job which was more accessible than for those who had completed Standard Five or Six. My father used to tell me: 'If I can jump 10 times, you should be able to jump 20 times.' I didn't understand it then, but later I realised he meant that he wanted us to surpass him in life. I myself left school after Form Three to support my younger siblings, working various jobs including at a Japanese quarry company and later the military, before eventually settling in Sarawak. There are many sacrifices when you have a family – raising children, maintaining a home and dealing with illness. I remember my father fondly, especially his ability to connect with people of all races. He was never arrogant and was always respectful. There is no father who doesn't love his children – we only hope our children will be more successful than us. My advice to the younger generation is: Visit your father. Don't just call or message. Technology is convenient, but nothing replaces face-to-face time. Appreciate your parents while they're still here. — Balakrishnan Perumal, 69 Tony Yap My late father worked in Sabah while we stayed in Sibu, and he would only come home once a year for the festive season. We weren't very close, but we respected him as he always sent money home and supported us, and that mattered. With seven siblings and a hardworking mother, life wasn't easy. My father worked as a carpenter, eventually moving into renovation work. Despite the distance, he did his best. Some parents don't even send money – at least he did, and that was his way of caring. I remember how my father would only come back once a year during festive seasons. When he came home for the New Year, we were happy to see him. We understood the meaning of father, even though we weren't super close. My father loved cars but despite that, he was frugal, disciplined and very careful with money. He was frugal – spending only when necessary – and I think his lifestyle and what he had to sacrifice for the family made him the way he is. Growing up with that experience shaped how I approach fatherhood. Even though I'm not a perfect father, I try to be present – I don't want my kids to just remember me from a distance. While providing financially is important, emotional presence matters just as much. I make sure to tell my children I'm proud of them and listen when they speak. It's something I didn't get much of, so I know how valuable it is. I'm still learning every day, but I show up – that is what I promised I would do differently. – Tony Yap, 54 Samuel Tan My dad was a discipline teacher. You'd expect someone with that title to be strict, but at home, he was fair and kind. He had rules but he never made us feel afraid. My father taught me how to be responsible, but not to stress over things too much – that balance helped me grow. One of the most important lessons he taught me was that academic results aren't everything, and always reminded us that everyone has their own strengths and paths. In his own way, I saw his love – he would 'tapao' (takeaway) food I liked or helped with something I wanted. He always showed up for me, even in quiet ways. I want others to know that our fathers are also going through life for the first time – they're learning too. So, when they ask how to use a phone or computer, don't get annoyed. Be patient. This Father's Day, whether near or far, lets us honour the fathers who have guided, supported and sacrificed for us. A heartfelt conversation, visit or even a simple 'thank you' can mean more than we realise. – Samuel Tan, 25 apai bapa dad Father's Day papa sarawak
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
'In shock': British Indians mourn crash victims at London vigil
A man prepares to remove the wreckage of the Air India Boeing (BA.N) 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, which crashed during take-off from an airport, in Ahmedabad, India June 14, 2025. REUTERS/Amit Dave LONDON (Reuters) -Dozens of members of Britain's Indian community gathered at a Hindu temple in London on Saturday for a vigil mourning the victims of this week's Air India crash, many of whom had personal connections to the temple. Leaders from the Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Muslim, Parsi, Zoroastrian and other communities offered their prayers, as those in attendance, hands folded, recited chants. A representative of Britain's King Charles read out a message from him and offered Christian prayers. Rajrajeshwar Guruji, head of the Siddhashram Hindu temple in Harrow, likened the grief of those who lost family members in the crash of the London-bound flight to the wait for a loved one's return from an endless journey. "They're just waiting and waiting, now they are not going to come back again," he said in an interview. Guruji, who comes from the state of Gujarat where the plane crashed, said the temple had helped family members in Britain get information about their loved ones. "Some of the members ... I have spoken to them, and ... they don't have the words," he said. "They are in shock." Britain has one of the largest Indian communities outside India, with nearly 1.69 million people - or 3.1% of the population - identifying as ethnically Indian. "We believe that everyone who is born has to go one day. But I hope nobody goes the way these ... passengers, as well as the medical students, have gone," said Harrow Mayor Anjana Patel, who lost a family member. Only one of the 242 passengers and crew on board survived the crash, while others were killed when the plane struck a medical college's hostel. Patel told Reuters that the council was offering grief counselling. "We just cannot bear how people must be feeling," she said. Jyotsna Shukla, 66, said her son's childhood friend was on the plane with his wife and three children. "I feel very bad because he was so young," she said, before breaking down into tears. Among those killed was Vijay Rupani, a former chief minister of Gujarat, who had visited the temple. (Reporting by Muvija M, Vitalii Yalahuzian and Isabel Infantes; Editing by Paul Sandle and Joe Bavier)
Borneo Post
9 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Death toll in India plane crash rises to at least 279
A crane removing aeroplane's tail from the wreckage after the June 12 Air India flight 171 crash, is pictured in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 14, 2025. – AFP photo AHMEDABAD (June 14): The death toll from the fiery crash of a London-bound passenger jet in an Indian city climbed to 279 today as officials sought to match the DNA of victims with their grieving relatives. The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner issued a mayday call shortly before it crashed around lunchtime on Thursday, bursting into a fireball as it hit residential buildings. A police source said that 279 bodies had been found at the crash site in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, making it one of the worst plane disasters of the 21st century. 'Nobody can fill the void left by loss,' said Imtiyaz Ali, whose younger brother boarded the plane. 'I can't even begin to explain what's going on inside me,' he told AFP. There was just one survivor out of 242 passengers and crew on board the jet when it crashed, leaving the tailpiece of the aircraft jutting out of a hostel for medical staff. Emergency services kept up their recovery efforts today, extracting a badly burnt body from the tailpiece before cranes were used to remove the wreckage. At least 38 people were killed on the ground. 'I saw my child for the first time in two years, it was a great time,' said Anil Patel, whose son and daughter-in-law had surprised him with a visit before boarding the Air India flight. 'And now, there is nothing,' he said, breaking down in tears. 'Whatever the gods wanted has happened.' Search for black box Distraught relatives of passengers have been providing DNA samples in Ahmedabad, with some having to fly to India to help with the process. The first body of a passenger to be handed over to relatives was placed in a white coffin today before being transported in an ambulance with a police escort, footage from the state government showed. Air India said there were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian on board the flight, as well as 12 crew members. The official casualty number will not be finalised until the slow process of DNA identification is completed. Those killed ranged from a top politician to a teenage tea seller. The lone survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, said even he could not explain how he survived. 'Initially, I too thought that I was about to die, but then I opened my eyes and realised that I was still alive,' Ramesh, a British citizen, told national broadcaster DD News from his hospital bed. Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said on Friday that a flight data recorder, or black box, had been recovered, saying it would 'significantly aid' investigations. Forensic teams are still looking for the second black box as they probe why the plane lost height and crashed straight after takeoff. The aviation minister said today that authorities 'felt the need to do an extended surveillance of the Boeing 787 planes', with eight out of Air India's 34 Dreamliners inspected so far. Officials will take 'whatever necessary steps are needed' to determine the cause of the disaster as soon as possible, he said. The US planemaker said it was in touch with Air India and stood 'ready to support them' over the incident. A source close to the case said it was the first 787 Dreamliner crash. – AFP Air India fatalities plane crash
