Yesterday (9th April) the cast for this years Household Division Beating Retreat was confirmed. In the Army In London's Facebook post it confirms that there will be over 600 musicians and 150 horses on Horse Guards Parade on the evenings of Wednesday 6th June and Thursday 7th June.

As always the ceremony will feature The Massed Bands of the Household Division and The Mounted Band of the Household Cavalry. The Household Cavalry Musical Ride will also be present at this year's event along with The Massed Corps of Drums of the 1st Battalion Coldstream and Irish Guards and The Pipes and Drums of the Scots and Irish Guards.

The Countess of Wessex String Orchestra, based in Woolwich, will also add the the ceremony.

This year the military musical spectacle will feature two international bands. The United States of America Army In Europe Band and Chorus who last performed at the ceremony in 2011 are set to return. Since then they have performed at the 2016 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and are set to play in this year's Basel Tattoo in Switzerland in July. The other international band is the Band and Pipes and Drums of the United Arab Emirates.

The Massed Corps of Drums of the Army Cadet Force​ will also be marching onto Horse Guards Parade this year. They will be lead by The Staffordshire Army Cadet Force Corps of Drums and will include members of The Band and Drums of Gwent and Powys Army Cadet Force​.

This year’s theme is of co-operation and is Titled ‘Alliance of the Free. The evening will then finish in customary style with an impressive fireworks display filling the capital’s skies with explosive colour complete with singers from The Royal Choral Society.

Invariably described as ‘truly spectacular’ ‘epic’ and ‘London at its finest’, the Household Division Beating Retreat is a unique spectacle that is not replicated anywhere else in the world. It is a premier must-see event on the London social calendar.

Tickets and more information can be found by visiting the Household Division Website: