Trooping the Colour: Royal Family watch Red Arrows flypast on Buckingham Palace balcony – live updates

Military aircraft are soaring above The Mall and Buckingham Palace as the Royal Family watches from the Buckingham Palace balcony.

Earlier, the flypast director teased that the Red Arrows, who will conclude the ceremony, will be flying in a special formation and will not be on their own during the event.

Sqn Ldr Dan Wilkes told the BBC that 31 aircraft are taking part in the flypast – the same number as in previous years.

He explained the Red Arrows can be as far as 90 miles away from Buckingham Palace when the first aircraft pass over The Mall, and that the challenge is trying to get everyone in the right place at the right time.

Sqn Ldr Wilkes described how The Mall and Buckingham Palace are a “pretty late spot” for the pilots, who have to rely on the bend in the Thames and some of London’s skyscrapers to make sure they are in the right position for the display.

“If you are on the right hand side of the bend on the river you will hit the palace at some point,” he says. “It all happens pretty quick.”