London: A British soldier belonging to Coldstream Guards regiment has become the first person to wear a turban during the trooping the colour ceremony.
More than 1,000 soldiers took part in the ceremony to mark the Queen’s official birthday on Saturday.
Guardsman Charanpreet Singh Lall, 22, a Sikh from Leicester, said he hoped his participation in the event would encourage those from different religions and backgrounds to join the army.
The event was Lall’s first trooping the colour. He told the Press Association: “I hope that people watching, that they will just acknowledge it and that they will look at it as a new change in history.
Gdsm Lall, who joined the British Army in January 2016, was born in Punjab, India, before moving to the UK as a baby.
The turban he wore during Trooping the Colour was black, featuring the ceremonial cap star to match the bearskin hats worn by the other soldiers.
“I’m quite proud and I know that a lot of other people are proud of me as well,” he said. “It is a good feeling… there’s going to be a lot of eyes and I am going to have an influence on other people.”
Trooping the Colour originated from traditional preparations for battle. Colours, or flags, were carried, or ‘trooped’, down the ranks so they could be seen and recognised by the soldiers.
The guardsman said his family, including his mother, father and sister, who are “really, really proud” of him, will be there to watch him take part.
“My mum was crying on the day I passed out so I wonder what is going to happen to her when she sees me in this,” he said.
Newly married Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined other senior royals including the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the event.