How Princess Anne’s new role will see her host Kate and William tonight ahead of Trooping the Colour

The Princess Royal is set to host members of the Royal Family ahead of this weekend’s Trooping the Colour. 

Princess Anne, 72, who recently received the title of Senior Colonel, will host a dinner for Household Division Colonels on the eve of the King’s official birthday parade in London. 

Guests will include several members of the royal family, including Queen Camilla, who was made Colonel of the Grenadier Guards last December, and the Prince of Wales, who took the role of Colonel of the Welsh Guards over from his father after King Charles’s accession to the throne. 

Meanwhile, the Princess of Wales, who took over Colonel of the Irish Guards from her husband, is also expected to attend, Hello! reported. 

The Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke of Kent will also attend the dinner due to their respective appointments as Royal Honorary Colonel, 1st Battalion London Guards and Colonel of the Scots Guards.

It comes as the King was accompanied by his sister, Princess Anne, on a rare joint engagement at Buckingham Palace today.

The siblings were together as he presented the new Sovereign’s Standard to The Blues and Royals squadron (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons) of the Household Cavalry, of which Anne is Colonel.

Charles spoke of his ‘great pride’ in the bond between the Blues and Royals and the monarch, as the country continues to face ‘an array of threats’ and ‘difficult times’.

Arriving just after 2pm to a trumpet fanfare, the king, wearing the uniform of Field Marshal with Field Marshal baton, and Anne, wearing her uniform of the Blues and Royals colonel which she also wore to last month’s coronation, stood on a dais as 35 soldiers and 27 horses formed up on the Quadrangle for the presentation of the new Standard.

The new standard, made of silk damask with gold embroidery which bears the Royal Arms and the regiment’s battle honours, was then consecrated by the Chaplain General Padre Tom Sander and Padre Ian Rogers, before being presented by the King, who briefly touched it the Standard.

Charles then presented the Standard to Major Peter Ireland, the squadron commander of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.

Charles, 74, then made a short speech from the dais, recalling the squadron’s long links with the monarch, and praising its soldiers’ unique dual operational and ceremonial roles.

He said: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, it is a matter of great pride to be here with you today to present your New Standard which, in itself, represents that personal bond between The Blues and Royals and the Sovereign that has lasted since before the Restoration in 1661.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, who are Colonel of the Welsh Guards and Colonel of the Irish Guards respectively, will also attend the dinner. Pictured on the day of King Charles’ coronation with Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis  

‘Your Standard, once the physical rallying point for your forebears, is the golden thread which connects you to your illustrious past.

‘The battle honours displayed upon it, along with your uniforms and medals that are so visible in your ceremonial role are a further demonstration of your proven track record as battle-hardened mounted and dismounted soldiers with recent operational experience.

‘Indeed, I know that some of you are currently deployed on duty with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. Such history pays homage to your dual role, and that of course is the fundamental principle which makes State Ceremonial and Public Duties so special and credible to a most grateful nation.

‘In these difficult times for our country, as we continue to face an array of threats in many different forms, both domestically and internationally, it is all the more important to preserve such standards of excellence and achievement.

The Duke of Edinburgh, pictured with other members of the royal family on the day of the Coronation, will also attend 

‘As your Colonel-in-Chief, I know that your Colonel, The Princess Royal, joins me in thanking you all for your unlimited commitment and service, as well as your families for their tremendous and unwavering support, some of whom I am delighted to see are able to join us today. 

‘I commend this Standard to your safe-keeping as a source of pride and inspiration to all of you – wherever you may be – in the service of your country.’

The standard was then given to the Sovereign’s Escort mounted troop, which marched past Charles and Anne to offer a second royal salute.

After the short ceremony, Charles and Anne spent several minutes meeting with some of the 75 guests who attended in the quadrangle, including past and present members of the Household Cavalry and friends and family of those on parade.

King Charles saluted as the troops passed him during the Buckingham Palace service yesterday 

Princess Anne was dressed in her military uniform she and King Charles III, present the new Sovereign’s Standard to the Blues and Royals

The guests also include Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, Queen Camilla’s ex-husband, a former Commanding Officer of the Household Cavalry.

The service usually takes place every decade and the squadron was last presented their Standard by Queen Elizabeth II in May 2014.

The hand-crafted Blues and Royals standard has been made by the family business Wyedean in Haworth, West Yorkshire.

The newly consecrated standard will be on parade at the King’s first Birthday Parade, Trooping the Colour, on Saturday.

Its managing director, Robin Wright, said: ‘The true honour we feel to be creating such historic and symbolic regimental standards and colours is absolutely incredible. It really is a business high for us all.

Typically, regimental standards and colours are renewed every 10-12 years but following the passing of the late Queen, all military regalia requires updating with King Charles III’s insignia and the Tudor crown.

As it takes three of our skilled people one year to create just four colours, there are thousands of hours of craftmanship from appliqué ornamental needlework to hand embroidery needed to complete the high standard of elaborate fabrics ready to present to the armed forces in the years ahead.’