At least three guardsmen fainted in the heat during a military parade as temperatures in the UK soared to 30C (86F) for the first time this year, according to a report in leading British newspaper The Guardian.
The event at Horse Guards Parade in central London on Saturday was a rehearsal for trooping the colour and was reviewed by Prince William. Afterwards, the Prince tweeted that the troops had done “a really good job” in difficult conditions.
💂 At least three British royal guards collapsed during a parade rehearsal in London ahead of King Charles’ official birthday as temperatures exceeded 88 degrees Fahrenheit pic.twitter.com/V0fLjROoD5
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 10, 2023
The soldiers were wearing woollen tunics and bearskin hats as a heat wave swept across London. The UK Health Security Agency has issued a hot weather alert for South England.
The event was a rehearsal for Trooping the Colour, an annual military parade held each June to mark the monarch’s official birthday. King Charles III will oversee the ceremony on June 17