At least three members of the King's Guard collapsed on Saturday as service members held parade rehearsals during scorching summer heat in London.
Royal guard members had been participating in a rehearsal of the Colonel's Review ahead of the Trooping the Colour scheduled to take place during King Charles' birthday parade in the coming week.
Footage that has since surfaced showed several members of the guard fainting and being carried away during the day's dress rehearsal.
A trombone player of the military band is carried out on a stretcher after a faint during the Colonel's Review, the final rehearsal of the Trooping the Colour, the King's annual birthday parade, at Horse Guards Parade in London, Saturday, June 10, 2023.
© AP Photo / Alberto Pezzali
While some members of the guard had to be taken away on a stretcher, others were walked off the parade grounds.
Local media reported that temperatures in the capital city ranged as high as 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit), with forecasters warning that the nation may experience sweat-inducing temps similar to heat waves recorded in 2022.
Speaking to the ceremony, a member of the Welsh Guards told UK media that the proceedings are "a lot harder than it looks on the TV," adding that taking part in the parade is "like being stood in a sauna with a 200kg dumbbell in your left hand."
“Once you have got your tunic and bearskin on and carrying your rifle in heat it is incredibly uncomfortable," he noted.
The Saturday incidents weren't the first time that guards were seen taking a fall in public; in fact, in September 2022, a royal guard collapsed by Queen Elizabeth's coffin during funeral services.