London , England ( CNN ) -- British troops dressed in red jackets and black bearskin hats put on a military spectacle in London on Saturday to mark Queen Elizabeth 's official birthday . They marched to music as other troops sat on horses for the annual ceremony , known as Trooping the Color . It took place on the Horse Guards Parade , the marching ground within sight of the queen 's residence at Buckingham Palace . Queen Elizabeth , wearing a lilac outfit and hat decorated with bow of pink and green , sat front and center to watch what many consider the most celebrated event on the British royal calendar . The queen , who turned 84 this year , was born on April 21 but celebrates her birthday on a Saturday in June when the weather is better . Trooping the Color dates at least to the early 18th century , when the colors -- or flags -- of the battalion were `` trooped '' down the ranks so they could be seen and recognized by all the soldiers , according to Buckingham Palace and the British Army . Since 1748 , the ceremony has also marked the sovereign 's official birthday , the palace said . Queen Elizabeth has attended it every year except for 1955 , when a national rail strike canceled the event , the palace said . A limited number of tickets are available to the public to watch the event at the Horse Guards Parade . It is also shown live on TV , and others can watch the troops go by on The Mall , which leads from the palace to the parade . The ceremony is carried out by fully operational troops from the Household Division of the British Army . Only one color can be trooped at a time , and the five Household Regiments -- Grenadier , Coldstream , Scots , Irish , and Welsh Guards -- take their turn each year . This year it was the turn of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards , who recently returned from Afghanistan . At the end of the ceremony , the queen climbed into an open-top horse-drawn carriage for the ride back to Buckingham Palace . The crowds along The Mall , lined with Union Jacks , cheered as she went past . The queen then stood on the palace balcony to watch a military fly-past that ended with aircraft trailing red , white , and blue , the colors of the British flag . She waved to the crowds and was joined by other members of the royal family , including her husband , Prince Philip ; her son , Prince Charles ; and her grandson , Prince William . CNN 's Melissa Gray contributed to this report .
Annual Trooping the Color held to mark queen 's birthday . Comment: Queen Elizabeth turned 84 this year . Grenadier Guards , recently in Afghanistan , trooped the color this year .