'Trooping the Colour' represents the military parade which takes place before the Queen every June on her Official Birthday. She is seen on the only chestnut horse, with the Duke of Edinburgh to her left. Roberts has compressed into a single work a convincing sense of the variety of human and equestrian movement in this ceremony, as well as a wealth of detail in the uniforms. A significant element is the standard which bears the names of twentieth-century battles famous in British history. Roberts not only served on the Western Front from 1916-18 but his military service began on Horseguards Parade, the setting of this painting.