Royal Tournament The Royal Tournament was the World ' s largest military tattoo and pageant , held by the British Armed Forces annually between 1880 and 1999 . The venue was originally the Royal Agricultural Hall and latterly the Earls Court Exhibition Centre . In its later years it also acted as a fundraising event for leading forces charities , such as The Royal British Legion . History . The Grand Military Tournament and Assault at Arms was held at the former Royal Agricultural Hall , in Islington from 21 to 26 June 1880 . The Tournament was effectively a series of competitions contested by the officers and men of the regular and auxiliary units of the British Army . Although crowds didn ’ t flock to the Tournament in the first year , it was held again in 1881 and subsequent years . More events to please audiences were added , including music from military bands , re - enactments , Musical Rides by the Cavalry and Musical Drives by the Artillery . Crowds began to flock to performances at the Agricultural hall ; during the early 1900s the show outgrew its home and moved to the west London venue of Olympia . The Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force also participated . The show was renamed a number of times until it finally became the Royal Tournament . Post World War 2 . After the Second World War , the Tournament once again moved to a larger stage and opened its doors to the public at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in 1950 . With the exception of the war years , the Tournament was staged every summer from 1880 to 1999 . The Royal Tournament had entered the history books as the First , Oldest and Biggest Military Tattoo in the World . Towards the end ticket sales were insufficient to cover costs ; the 1998 Royal Tournament made a loss . On Monday 2 August 1999 the Royal Tournament closed for the final time to reduce military costs , following the 1998 Strategic Defence Review . Other military events such as Trooping the Colour , the Edinburgh Military Tattoo , the Windsor Castle Royal Tattoo and Royal International Air Tattoo remain an active part of British military pageantry as of 2009 , together with the various events organized by the Armed Forces and its three branches . Comeback as the British Military Tournament . In June 2010 , ABF - The Soldiers ' Charity announced that a new event , to be called the " British Military Tournament " , would be held over the weekend of 4 – 5 December 2010 , bringing together the " best elements of the Royal Tournament " , including the King ' s Troop , Royal Horse Artillery ' s Musical Drive , and the Royal Navy Field gun competition . The two themes of the event as announced were the 350th anniversary of the Household Cavalry , and the 150th anniversary of both the Army Physical Training Corps and the cadet movement . Initially , the event will feature the Army , with no Royal Navy or RAF presence ( beyond the old staples such as the Field Gun competition ) but , according to reports in the press , it will become an annual fixture , suggesting that it may revive the old Royal Tournament practice of each service " hosting " the event for a year . On TV . The Royal Tournament was a regular feature on BBC TV in the summer schedule . The Royal Tournament 1970 was shown on BBC1 on Saturday 25 July and was billed as a second visit to Earl ' s Court for that year ' s spectacular and featured < br > The Musical Drive by The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery < br > The White Helmets display by the Royal Signals Motor Cycle Team < br > Continuity Drill by The Queen ' s Colour Squadron of The Royal Air Force < br > Massed Band and Bugles of the Light Division < br > The Royal Corps of Signals in the Bandstand < br > with commentator Geoffrey Wheeler There was a special article in The Radio Times that week on White Helmets " - mentioning Sgt George Garside and Signalman Mick Hanson . The Royal Tournament 1972 was shown on BBC1 on Sunday 16 July and featured < br > The Musical Drive by The King ' s Troop , Royal Horse Artillery , < br > The Field Gun Competition by The Royal Navy , < br > National Dances by the Singapore Armed Forces , < br > Commando Assault Course by The Royal Marines 42 Commando , < br > Continuity Drill by The Queen ' s Colour Squadron , < br > Royal Air Force in the Bandstand , < br > The Staff Band of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers , < br > with commentator Michael Charlton . The Royal Tournament 1974 was shown on BBC1 on Saturday 13 July and featured < br > The Musical Drive by the King ' s Troop Royal Horse Artillery < br > The Field Gun Competition by The Royal Navy , < br > Continuity Drill by the RAF Queen ' s Colour Squadron < br > National Dancing and Music by the Sri Lanka Police Reserve < br > Massed Bands of the Royal Marines < br > The Band of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps in the Bandstand < br > with commentator Tom Fleming