GRENADIER GUARDS NIJMEGEN COMPANY 2ND LIEUTENANT PINFOLD HOLDS THE QUEEN'S COLOUR DURING THE TROOPING THE COLOUR CEREMONY IN LONDON.


Grenadier Guards Nijmegen Company 2nd Lieutenant Richard Pinfold (R), of New Zealand, holds Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's colour during the Trooping the Colour ceremony June 16, 2001 held in honour of the Queen's birthday. Trooping the Colour has honoured the sovereign's official birthday since the 17th century and dates back to the earliest times of armed conflict, when each leader needed his own flag or colours to stand out clearly amid the smoke and dust of battle which led to regular trooping allowing soldiers to recognise the colours around which they should rally.