Queen Visits Philip After Trooping The Colour

The Queen has visited the Duke of Edinburgh in hospital after she earlier attended the annual Trooping the Colour parade without him.

Prince Philip is recovering from exploratory abdominal surgery which he underwent at the London Clinic last week and is said to be progressing according to plan.

Her Majesty made the visit "quietly and privately", said Buckingham Palace. She also went to see her husband in hospital on Monday, which was his 92nd birthday.

On Friday, Prince Charles was among a string of visitors to see the Duke. When asked by the waiting media how his father was, he said "much better".

Thousands of well-wishers turned out in central London to watch Trooping the Colour.

More than 1,000 soldiers and horses took part in the traditional display of pomp and pageantry which celebrates the Queen's official birthday.

The monarch was accompanied by her cousin the Duke of Kent for the carriage ride from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade.

It was thought to be only the third time that Philip has missed the event after not attending in 1962 and 1968 when he was away on royal tours.

The Duchess of Cambridge made her last public engagement at Trooping the Colour before her baby is born in mid-July.

She rode in a carriage with the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry.

Kate, who was wearing a pale pink Alexander McQueen coat and matching hat, smiled and waved at the crowds lining the route.

The Duke of York attended with his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

In the last coach were the Earl and Countess of Wessex with their daughter Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor.

On horseback during the ceremony were the Prince of Wales, who is Colonel of the Welsh Guards, the Princess Royal, who is Colonel of the Blues and Royals, and the Duke of Cambridge, who is Colonel of the Irish Guards.

The procession was being accompanied by a Sovereign's Escort of the Household Cavalry, made up of Life Guards and Blues and Royals, in their silver and gold breastplates and plumed helmets.

The Colour being paraded on Horse Guards this year was the flag of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards.

The unit have recently returned from operational service in Afghanistan where they worked as part of the Afghan Police Advisory Team assisting the country to achieve self governance.

Four of the five Foot Guards regiments of the Household Division - the Welsh Guards, Grenadier Guards, Scots Guards and the Coldstream Guards - marched in the parade wearing bearskin hats and red tunics.

The Household Division Bands and Corps of Drums also took part, as did the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery who, following the parade, fired a 41-gun salute in Green Park to mark the Queen's official birthday.

The Queen, dressed in a royal blue Angela Kelly coat and hat with a matching lace dress, looked on under cloudy skies which parted now and then to reveal the sun.

Her Majesty was cheered by crowds gathered along the Mall as she was driven back to the palace.

After the Queen took the salute on Horse Guards, the royals headed back to Buckingham Palace to gather on the balcony to watch the traditional flypast by the RAF.

Several types of aircraft took part including RAF Awacs, Typhoons, Tornadoes and the Red Arrows, with the royal family craning their necks to see the formations roar overhead.

Trooping the Colour originated from traditional preparations for battle.

Colours, or flags, were carried, or "trooped", down the rank so that it could be seen and recognised by the soldiers.

In the 18th century, guards from the royal palaces assembled daily on Horse Guards to "troop the colours", and in 1748 it was announced that the parade would also mark the Sovereign's official birthday.

The Queen's actual birthday was on April 21, when she turned 87.