Trooping the Colour has long been seen as a celebration of national pride and unity — a symbolic event where the Royal Family presents a strong and united image.
But this year’s ceremony took an unexpected turn when Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis found themselves face-to-face with public protest.
During the royal procession, a striking photograph captured the young royals and their mother, Princess Kate, riding past a group of demonstrators holding bright yellow signs with bold slogans such as “Not My King,” “Ditch the Duchies,” and “Down With the Crown.”
Despite the protests, Princess Kate maintained her composure, showing no outward reaction. Her calm demeanor in the face of criticism reinforced the strength and poise expected of senior royal figures.
The demonstration was led by Republic, an organization that has long campaigned to abolish the monarchy. In a statement before the King’s Birthday Parade, Republic’s CEO, Graham Smith, made their position clear: “Trooping the Colour is the key iconic royal event of the year. From now on, there will be protesters there, calling out the event and the monarchy as a superficial cover for a grubby and corrupt institution.”
Smith’s remarks suggest growing disillusionment, but polling tells a different story.
According to recent YouGov data, Prince William enjoys a 75 percent approval rating, while Princess Kate follows closely at 72 percent. Even King Charles III has a majority of public support, with 61 percent viewing him positively, compared to just 29 percent who hold a negative view.
For the Wales children, the protest wasn’t just background noise — it may have been the first time they truly witnessed such direct opposition. The moment marked an important reality check: their royal status comes not only with admiration and celebration but also with criticism and resistance from parts of the public.
Princess Kate, 43, and Prince William, 42, have worked hard to shield their children from the spotlight, limiting their exposure to carefully curated public appearances like Christmas strolls or Trooping balcony waves. But this weekend’s events presented a new and very public lesson in the complexities of royal life.
For Prince George in particular — the future monarch — seeing dissent up close could be a defining early moment in shaping how he understands his future role.
Leadership in a modern monarchy, as he may come to learn, involves navigating both tradition and ongoing debate.
Still, the overall atmosphere remained largely positive. Supporters outnumbered critics along the Mall, and when the Royal Family appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony, they were met with loud cheers and applause.
Prince Louis, ever the crowd-pleaser, drew smiles with his enthusiastic waving, even as Prince George gave his little brother a gentle nudge on the arm in a moment of sibling playfulness.
While anti-monarchy protests are far from new — Republic was founded in 1983 and became a full campaign group in 2006 — the power of Saturday’s moment lies in what it revealed: the new generation of royals is growing up in a world where the Crown is no longer beyond question.
For George, Charlotte, and Louis, it was a first glimpse of the monarchy’s shifting landscape — one that is likely to shape their roles in ways previous generations never had to confront.