King Charles faces a potential scheduling conflict on the day of his official birthday parade as the annual Trooping the Colour event is set to take place on the same day. The event, featuring a grand military parade followed by a Buckingham Palace flypast, is scheduled for Saturday, with the King being accompanied by all working family members, including the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Simultaneously, the funeral of Lady Pamela Hicks, a close friend of Charles’ late mother, is also slated for the same day. Lady Pamela, who passed away at the age of 97 last week, was a bridesmaid at Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding to Prince Philip in 1947.
A spokesperson for the King expressed deep sadness at Lady Pamela’s passing, highlighting her warmth, wit, and remarkable qualities. Lady Pamela’s funeral is planned for 3pm at a church in Oxfordshire, raising uncertainty about royal attendance due to the timing clash with the Trooping the Colour event.
Lady Pamela, born in April 1929, was the youngest daughter of Lord Mountbatten and Edwina Ashley, with close connections to the Royal Family. She served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth and remained a lifelong friend of the monarch, even publishing memoirs about her royal experiences.
In 1979, Lady Pamela’s father was tragically killed by an IRA bomb, and in 1998, she lost her husband to lung cancer. Despite facing these losses, Lady Pamela’s ties to the Royal Family remained strong throughout her life. She was the oldest living descendant of Queen Victoria when Queen Elizabeth II passed away in 2022, attending the state funeral alongside her daughter India.
Lady Pamela’s unique life story and enduring connections with the Royal Family have left a lasting impact, making her funeral and the Trooping the Colour event poignant occasions that may overlap on King Charles’ official birthday parade day.