Trooping the Colour 'should remind MPs and Britons of the military's importance' amid funding row

Over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians unite to celebrate the King's Official Birthday, before the infamous RAF flypast, in a patriotic demonstration of precision and fanfare.

According to royal historian Rafe Heydel-Mankoo, the military display during Trooping the Colour is crucial to shining a light on the British Armed Forces to the public.

"Our military, of course, is underfunded, is in desperate need of cash, but it's things like the Trooping the Colour that remind the British people of the important role the army has played throughout our history," he told GB News.

"And that is actually one of the great symbols of British pride."

This year, the image of British military excellence could be more symbolic than ever, as it comes against a backdrop of more Downing Street chaos.

Defence Secretary John Healey dramatically quit from the Cabinet yesterday, publishing a scathing letter in which he criticised Sir Keir Starmer's unwillingness to commit enough resources to defence.

Mr Healey said he was "left no choice" but to resign after a disagreement over the Defence Investment Plan.

"You have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats," the letter read.

Shortly after, Armed Forces Minister Al Carns and Private Secretary Pamela Nash followed Mr Healey out the door, and suddenly Sir Keir faced a crisis in No10.

Speaking today, the Prime Minister revealed: "I can tell you now that defence will be the number one priority at every spending review, including the next spending review."

New Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis is expected to attend the ceremony alongside other senior Cabinet figures, including the Prime Minister.

Speaking to The People's Channel ahead of tomorrow's commemorations, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said the military is "grossly underfunded" and has been "ruthlessly run down" for decades.

"What is happening at the moment is a battle for a budget for the defence review, which the government has still failed to produce because of departmental feuding," he explained.

"The facts are that since the end of the Cold War, the military's been ruthlessly run down by politicians of all parties. It's recently because of two particularly significant wars – Ukraine and the Gulf – it's become obvious, and the more obvious it is, the more painful it is."

Mr Fitzwilliams noted that, while the British Armed Forces have historically been "superb", they are "not well funded".

In recent weeks, this has been evidenced by HMS Dragon, which took three weeks to reach Cyprus after RAF Akrotiri was subject to Iranian drone strikes.

Just two weeks later, it was revealed that the Type-45 destroyer was forced to dock in the Mediterranean to undergo repairs during its deployment.

Last week, Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales suffered another breakdown, leaving her "marooned" off the coast of Norway.

Mr Fitzwilliams argued that Saturday's Trooping the Colour is important in reminding politicians of the importance of the military.

"The facts are that the display of military excellence should remind politicians of the importance of keeping the country safe," he added.

"With America less reliable as an ally, I would have thought that more funding was obvious, but it's proving a battle with Keir Starmer."

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