I was in the crowd at Queen Elizabeth's last Trooping the Colour. It was unlike anything I've ever witnessed.

• I attended the Trooping the Colour parade at Buckingham Palace last year.

• The parade celebrated the Queen's official birthday as well as her Platinum Jubilee.

• I didn't know at the time that it would be the Queen's final parade.

In June 2022, thousands of people gathered at Buckingham Palace for the Trooping the Colour parade in celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. I was one of them.

Trooping the Colour, otherwise known as the monarch's birthday parade, also celebrated the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, which marked her 70 years on the British throne.

The parade featured horses, soldiers, and members of the royal family who departed from Buckingham Palace and made their way down The Mall, a street that starts at the palace and ends at Trafalgar Square.

I arrived at the The Mall just after 8 a.m., around two hours earlier than the parade was due to start. The place was packed, and some attendees I spoke to had been there since 6 a.m.

I took my time deciding where to stand, admiring the many Union Jack flags and outfits that I spotted during my journey.

Some people were decked out in full costume, like this royal fan who wore a crown and a cape.

Others opted to wear the UK's national colors. This royal fan wore a red dress, a matching fascinator, a white belt, and a blue-and-white scarf.

I found a spot near the end of the parade route, and waited there until the parade began shortly after 10 a.m. While it was a long wait, the crowd was cheerful, and some people spontaneously started singing the national anthem.

More than 1,200 officers and solders from the Household Division and over 240 horses were part of the parade, according to a palace press release.

The parade went on for around an hour before Kate Middleton, her children, and Camilla appeared. It was difficult to get a close look due to the crowd, but I could tell it was them by the cheers that erupted around me.

I got a closer look at Prince William and Princess Anne, who passed us on horseback.

After the parade was over, the barriers were removed and the public were invited to watch a flyover with the Queen and the royal family, who looked on from the palace balcony.

While my view was slightly blocked by the police officers in front of me, I was much closer to the palace balcony than I had even anticipated getting.

Since the Queen didn't take part in the procession, everyone was eager to see her balcony appearance. I overheard one man get emotional as he told his son that this would likely be the last time they saw the 96-year-old at a milestone event.

It turned out to be true, as Queen Elizabeth died at her Balmoral Castle estate in Scotland on September 8, 2022.

Read more: Queen Elizabeth II is dead at 96, bringing her unprecedented 70-year reign to a close

The event ended with a spectacular flyover in the UK's national colors.

As King Charles celebrates his first Trooping the Colour as monarch this year, I can't help but look back at last year's event with nostalgia. I'm so glad I got to witness something that will go down in the history books.

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