Soldiers faint while waiting for procession as 4,000 ceremonial troops escort King Charles to Buckingham Palace
A ROYAL Navy officer and a flagbearer from the Household division collapsed during the coronation procession today.
The Grenadier guardsman hit the deck in his red tunic on The Mall while the Navy rank collapsed in their blue suit and tricorn hat.
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Both were quickly attended to by colleagues, loaded onto stretchers and ferried off.
The casualties were not the only mishap of the day – after a spooked horse backed up and smashed into the crowd.
Horrifying footage showed the moment a Lifeguard was nearly dismounted and sent barricades crashing when the tearaway horse took off.
The incidents came as over 4,000 troops from across the three Armed Forces prepared for the biggest military procession since 1952.
19 military bands drummed, tooted and whistled huge formations of both foot and mounted soldiers from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace.
33 Commonwealth countries’ armed forces were represented as their personnel also escorted the newly crowned King Charles and Queen Camilla.
And 250 horses took part in the procession, including eight Windsor Grey horses who towed the 260-year-old, four tonne Gold State Coach.
The eight horses – Shadow, Icon, Newark, Echo, Milford Haven, Knightsbridge, Meg and Tyrone – sported reigns laden with royal blue rosettes and rope.
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Earlier in the day, Charles and Camilla arrived at Westminster Abbey following a spectacular 1.42 mile journey in the air-conditioned Diamond Jubilee state coach, built in 2012.
They left Buckingham Palace accompanied by the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry, before passing a guard of honour of around 160 members of the three armed services.
The pair were flanked by over 1,000 members of the Armed Forces before passing a 100-strong guard from the Royal British Legion in Parliament Square.
The service ran for around two hours where ancient traditions – some dating back to 1065 – saw Charles anointed and crowned with the 1661 St Edward’s crown.
The service finished at 1pm and the royals set off on a 1.4 mile procession back to Buckingham Palace which included the 4,000 troops.
The procession ended with a “three cheers” for the King and Queen by the five household regiments on Buckingham Palace’s lawns.
The Royal Family then made their way to the famous Buckingham Palace balcony where they were greeted to rapturous applause from the thousands of fans who had gathered on The Mall.
A mesmerising flypast by helicopters and chinooks and then a display from the Red Arrows followed.
But sadly poor weather meant no other planes could take part in the fly past, cutting a planned six minute spectacle to just two.
Charles is the first king to be crowned in Britain since his grandfather King George VI on May 12, 1937.
He is the 40th monarch to be crowned at Westminster Abbey, with the first thought to be Harold Godwinson in 1065.
Much like his beloved Mama, Charles has also broken with tradition.
Fuelled by a desire for a stripped-back monarchy, the King shunned the extravagant trappings of wealth seen in his own mother’s £1.57million ceremony.
The guestlist was also slashed to just 2,000, compared to the Queen’s 8,250, and the length of the service has was drastically reduced to around two hours.
Even the dress code was different, with the King opting to wear military uniform instead of the silk stockings and breeches seen in the past.
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