People Are Just Finding Out Why The Queen Has Two Birthdays
Lucy Devine
Featured Image Credit: Alamy/Shutterstock
Did you know the Queen celebrates her birthday twice every year?
Yep, Her Majesty technically has two birthdays, but people are only just finding out why.
This year, the Queen turned 96 on 21 April, but her birthday celebrations actually take place on 2 June.
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Many people can be a little confused by this, with some unsure as to which day is the Queen's actual date of birth.
Well, while the monarch's birthday is in April, it is celebrated in the summer with the Queen's birthday parade, Trooping the Colour.
The tradition of having two birthdays is a long one, dating back to the reign of King George II.
It's largely down to weather; if the ruling monarch had a birthday in a cooler month, the British weather often wasn't suitable for a large outdoor celebration.
King George II had his birthday in November, therefore he chose to celebrate in the summer instead.
It was decided the monarch would therefore have two - their actual birth date and Trooping the Colour. For the Queen, this often takes place on the second Saturday of June.
At the event, over 1,400 soldiers, 400 horses and 400 musicians take part in the parade.
Members of the royal family are seen riding on horseback or in carriages, while the Queen's carriage travels back to Buckingham Palace where the parade ends with an RAF fly by. Here, she is joined on the balcony by other members of the royal family.
This year Trooping the Colour is taking place today (Thursday, 2 June) as part of the four-day weekend of Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
For her real birthday, the Queen often celebrates with family. There is also usually a 41-gun salute in Hyde Park, a 21-gun salute in Windsor Great Park and a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London.
Happy Birthday to Her Majesty!