On the day of King Charles's Coronation, which saw him wave to crowds of the public on Buckingham Palace's iconic balcony alongside Kate Middleton, Prince William, Queen Camilla and other working royals, it's the perfect time to look back on the best balcony moments over the years— including those from Queen Elizabeth II's remarkable 70-year reign, whose sad passing has led to this new royal era for Britain.
Every year in June to Celebrate the Queen's Birthday, the royal family would stand out on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the Trooping the Colour ceremony. There were soldiers on horseback and RAF planes doing aerobatics overhead. Yet, despite the spectacle, it was still always hard to take your eyes off the country's most famous family as they huddled together for the event. A fact still true for the trooping of the colour today.
Queen Victoria first started the balcony appearance tradition way back in 1851 and since then there have been many memorable moments during the Royal Family's public appearance. From Kate and William's newlywed kiss to the Queen's coronation, these are our favourite snaps from the age-old British ritual...
Grazia's Best Royal Balcony Photos
1 of 20King George V's Silver Jubilee, May 1935.
The future Queen Elizabeth II waving from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London, with her younger sister Margaret and her grandparents King George V and Queen Mary, on the occasion of their Silver Jubilee, 6th May 1935.
2 of 20King George VI's coronation, May 1937.
A photograph of the British Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, taken by an unknown photographer in May, 1937, following the Coronation of George VI . King George VI (1895-1952) and Queen Elizabeth (1900-2002) are shown in the crowns and robes worn during the Coronation. The young Princesses Elizabeth (1926-) and Margaret (1930-2002) stand happily in front of their parents, enjoying the big day.
3 of 20V-E Day, May 1945.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill appears on the balcony at Buckingham Palace together with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and the two princesses on the afternoon of V-E Day, May 8, 1945.
4 of 20Queen's wedding, November 1947.
Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, and Prince Philip, with members of the royal family, wave from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their wedding.
5 of 20Queen's Coronation, June 1953.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh wave at the crowds from the balcony at Buckingham Palace after Elizabeth's coronation.
6 of 20Queen's Coronation, 2 June, 1953.
Queen Elizabeth II on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after her Coronation ceremony with (left to right); Prince Charles, Princess Anne and The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
7 of 20Queen's coronation, June 1953.
Queen Elizabeth II on the balcony at Buckingham Palace after her coronation. With her are (left to right) : Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
8 of 20Princess Margaret's wedding, May 1960.
Earl Snowdon and Princess Margaret (1930 - 2002) (centre) on the balcony at Buckingham Palace with members of the immediate and extended British Monarchy after their wedding.
9 of 20Trooping the colour, June 1964.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip with their baby son, Prince Edward on the balcony at Buckingham Palace, during the Trooping of the Colour, London, 13th June 1964.
10 of 20Queen's Silver Jubilee, June 1977.
Queen Elizabeth II with Princess Anne, Earl Mountbatten (1900 - 1979) and the Duke of Edinburgh on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during her Silver Jubilee.
11 of 20Princess Diana and Prince Charles' wedding, July 1981.
Prince Charles And Princess Diana Kissing On The Balcony Of Buckingham Palace On Their Wedding Day. (l To R) Lord Nicholas Windsor, Edward Van Cutsem, Sarah Jane Gaselee, Catherine Cameron, Princess Diana, Prince Charles, Clementine Hambro And Queen Elizabeth II.
12 of 20Trooping the Colour, June 1985.
Princess Diana laughing along with Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the Royal Family on the balcony at Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour.
13 of 20Trooping the colour, June 1989.
Princess Margaret, Prince Harry, Princess Alexandra, Prince William, Diana, Princess of Wales, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth ll and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the Trooping the Colour Ceremony on June 17, 1989.
14 of 20Trooping the colour, June 1992.
The Princess of Wales, The Queen and Queen Mother with other members of the Royal family on the balcony at Buckingham Palace for the Trooping of the Colour, June 1992. The group includes, right, the children of Prince Michael of Kent, Lady Gabriella Windsor and Lord Frederick Windsor.
15 of 20Trooping the colour, June 2007.
Queen Elizabeth II watches the RAF flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace with (L-R) Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Princess Eugenie, Prince William, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, David, Viscount Linley and Princess Anne, Princess Royal, during Trooping the Colour celebrations on June 16, 2007
16 of 20Prince William and Kate's wedding, April 2011.
Prince William and Kate Middleton kiss on the balcony after their marriage at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011.
17 of 20Queen's Diamond Jubilee, June 2012.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry wave to the crowds from Buckingham Palace during the Diamond Jubilee carriage procession after the service of thanksgiving at St.Paul's Cathedral on the Mall on June 5, 2012.
18 of 20Trooping the colour, June 2015.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry, James, Viscount Severn and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour on June 13, 2015.
19 of 20Trooping the colour, June 2018.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour on June 9, 2018.
20 of 20RAF Centenary, July 2018.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018.
A new era:
1 of 1King Charles's Coronation, 2023.
William, the Prince of Wales, the King's Pages of Honour: Prince George, Lord Oliver Cholmondley, Nicholas Barclay, Ralph Tollemache and King Charles III on the balcony following his coronation on May 6, 2023.