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Camilla to ride with Prince William at royal event
LONDON (Reuters) - Prince Charles's new wife Camilla will take part in her first Trooping the Colour ceremony as a member of the royal family on Saturday to mark the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth.
Camilla, styled the Duchess of Cornwell, will ride in a carriage with her step-son Prince William during the procession.
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In an annual ceremony dating back to the early 1700s, the Queen inspects the troops of the Household Division on Horse Guards Parade in London's Whitehall district.
The Queen will later appear on the balcony of her London residence Buckingham Palace with other members of the royal family to watch a Royal Air Force flypast at 1 p.m. (1200 GMT).
If Camilla, as expected, joins the Queen on the balcony it will be a "hugely significant moment", former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told Reuters.
Camilla, blamed by many for Charles's split with the late Princess Diana, was for many years relegated to the sidelines of royal engagements before her marriage in April to the heir to the throne.
"To stand there will be a total affirmation that she is now accepted as the second most senior female royal in the land and must take her position as such," Bond told Reuters.
Bond said it would be "extraordinary" if Camilla did not appear on the balcony, an iconic setting for royal appearances before the British public.
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