Today, Saturday 13 June, marks Queen Elizabeth II‘s “official” birthday.
While the Queen receives plenty of messages of goodwill from well-wishers across the globe, for some, her birthday can be a source of confusion.
This is due to the fact that the monarch’s birthday is celebrated on her actual date of birth in April, and also later on in the summer with a grand parade by Buckingham Palace.
However, this year the Trooping the Colour parade will not be going ahead in a “traditional” manner.
So why does the Queen celebrate two birthdays every year? Here’s everything you need to know:
When is the Queen’s actual birthday?
The Queen was born on 21 April 1926.
She was delivered at 2.40am by Caesarean section, at her maternal grandparents’ house in Mayfair.
How does the Queen celebrate her birthday?
The Queen usually celebrates her birthday privately, the royal family’s official website states.
However, the occasion is also marked with a series of gun salutes – 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.
While the gun salutes usually occur on the day of the monarch’s birthday, this year, due to the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, Buckingham Palace said the salute would not be taking place.
Why does the Queen have a second birthday?
The tradition of the British monarch celebrating two birthdays stems back to 1748, during the reign of King George II.
As the king’s birthday fell in late autumn, the weather wasn’t suitable for a large, public celebration in honour of his birthday.
Therefore, the monarch’s official birthday celebrations were combined with the Trooping the Colour parade in summer, a ceremony which had previously been a predominantly military affair.
When is the Queen’s second birthday?
The Queen’s second birthday, described as being her “official birthday”, usually takes place on the second Saturday of June.
The Queen used to mark her official birthday on the second Thursday of June, the same day her father, King George VI, used to celebrate his birthday during his reign.
However, this tradition was changed in 1959, seven years after the Queen ascended to the throne.
How does the Queen celebrate her official birthday?
The main event of the Queen’s official birthday in June is the Trooping the Colour parade.
However, this year the ceremony will not be taking place “in its traditional form”, the Palace announced in March amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Trooping the Colour procession, which consists of more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians, moves from Buckingham Palace down The Mall towards the Horse Guard’s Parade.
Members of the royal family ride either on horseback or in carriages as part of the proceedings.
The parade ends with a fly-past by the RAF, which the Queen watches with the royal family from the Buckingham Palace balcony.
A small military ceremony is due to take place in honour of the monarch’s official birthday.
