KING Charles celebrates his birthday twice a year, like previous monarchs, but what is this royal tradition?
Just like Queen Elizabeth I before him, the King marks his own birthday privately but also celebrates his "official" birthday in June.
Last year, the monarch took part in the Trooping the Colour event as he returned to his public-facing duties following his cancer treatment.
Trooping the Colour involves a ceremony held on Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall.
At 13:00, subject to weather and operational requirements, 29 aircraft from 9 RAF stations will conduct a flypast over Buckingham Palace and the Royal Family to celebrate His Majesty The King’s Official Birthday.#TroopingTheColour #KingsBirthdayFlypast #KingsBirthdayParade pic.twitter.com/PHMOYfWwiN
— Royal Air Force (@RoyalAirForce) June 14, 2025
The King carries out a review of the Guardsmen and officers from an Ascot Landau carriage with the Queen.
In 2023, Charles inspected the troops on horseback, which was the first time a reigning Monarch had ridden at Trooping the Colour since 1986.
When is Trooping the Colour 2025?
The Major General's review on Saturday, May 31 began the celebrations.
This was followed by the Colonel’s Review seven days ahead of the famous ceremony on Saturday, June 7.
Trooping the Colour will take place in central London on Saturday, June 14, which has marked the official birthday of the British sovereign for over 260 years.
What is Trooping the Colour?
Trooping the Colour will see more than 1400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians come together in a “great display of military precision, horsemanship and fanfare to mark the Sovereign's official birthday,” reports The Royal Family’s website.
It adds: “The streets are lined with crowds waving flags as the parade moves from Buckingham Palace and down The Mall to Horse Guard's Parade, alongside Members of the Royal Family on horseback and in carriages.
“The display closes with an RAF fly-past, watched by Members of the Royal Family from Buckingham Palace balcony.”
Why does King Charles III have two birthdays?
The monarchs of Britain have two birthdays due to the weather, reports The Independent.
As the birthday celebrations usually take place outdoors, Trooping the Colour takes place each June if the member of the royal family in charge wasn’t born in the summer months of the year.
The King's official birthday is on November 14, and towards the end of 2025, he will be 77 years old.
Who was the first monarch to have two birthdays?
The tradition was started by King George II in 1748, with his November birthday being too cold for a celebratory parade.
