Prince George reassures mother Princess Kate after unexpected sneeze at Trooping the Colour

Prince George, 12, is quick to reassure his mother that he’s okay after an unexpected moment on the balcony during the fly-past

The eyes of the world were watching as the royal family emerged from Buckingham Palace and waved from the iconic balcony during the Trooping the Colour celebrations. On Saturday, King Charles III and Queen Camilla were joined by senior royals like Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, as well as Prince William and Princess Kate with their three children, all dressed in their finery, looking immaculate with smiles on their faces.

The sun was shining for the glorious occasion, which could have been what caused Prince George to sneeze during the mesmerising fly-past moment. Doting mother-of-three Princess Kate was quick to check in with her son, after saying “bless you”, who caught his sneeze politely in his hands. He then replied: “I’m alright,” to reassure his mother and nodded at her during this very public moment.

The moment George sneezed while on the balcony© Getty Images
The moment George sneezed while on the balcony

Kate also sneezed while watching the ceremony earlier in the morning, but that could have been due to the fact that she is known to have a horse allergy. Duchess Kate opened up about her issue to Australian author Kathy Lette in 2009 during a polo match. When Kathy asked the royal why she didn’t play herself, Kate said: “I’m allergic to horses.”

Kate was beautiful in blue

Catherine, Princess of Wales during Trooping The Colour on June 13, 2026 in London, England. Trooping The Colour is a ceremonial parade celebrating the official birthday of the British Monarch. The event features over 1400 soldiers of the Household Division and King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, including over 400 musicians from the Massed Bands. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)© Getty Images
Princess Kate looked incredible on the day

One of the stand-out fashion moments from the day was Princess Kate’s gorgeous look. The royal wore a pastel coat dress in a sky blue hue by Catherine Walker featuring contrasting white piping. Pinned to her lapel was the Irish Guards Brooch, and her headpiece was a Philip Treacy hat. There was no mistaking that the ensemble was inspired by Princess Diana, who sported a very similar look by the same designer in Easter 1987.

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Diana, Princess Of Wales in a powder blue dress by Catherine Walker© Tim Graham Photo Library via Get
Diana, Princess Of Wales in a powder blue dress by Catherine Walker

What is Trooping the Colour?

Trooping the Colour is a prestigious royal event, showcasing the very best of British pomp and circumstance. It is an annual occasion, held in June, that’s a way of marking the official birthday of the reigning monarch. The defining features are the ceremonial parade at Horse Guards Parade, the carriage grand procession down the mall and the family watching the iconic Royal Air Force flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

The family were all smiles on the balcony© Getty Images
The family were all smiles on the balcony

This event gives royal fans the chance to see all the royals gather together in a show of solidarity. It’s also a great opportunity to see the younger generation of royals, including Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. This is King Charles’ fourth Trooping the Colour since becoming King in September 2022, taking over from his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.