closeness with which we are seeing the royal family, but also their strong connection to the military. this is much more intimate, i feel, than the coronation was. we are celebrating the king s official birthday. his real birthday is in november, which is inclement. here we are in june and we are being given the message that this is a monarch who is deeply connected to all branches of the military, and he has been since childhood and his youth. now as a very mature leader who has been here for his mother s trooping of the colour for all of these years, now this is his first one as king. we all see them heading towards horse guard s parade. this will be where the king has to inspect the line of the foot guards. inspecting the line, i m told, he will be inspecting very closely and be calling out any regiments that isn t specific a spic and span.