Queen Elizabeth II’s Has Two Birthdays: Here’s the Logical Reason Behind the Tradition

LifeStyleJune 19, 2019

There’s a reason why birthdays are called as such — from the name itself, it is a commemoration of the date you came out to this world. While some dread the event because it is a reminder that they are getting older, others enjoy the fact that they have lived for another year.

But perhaps, what everyone has in common is that this day is treated as a special one, sometimes celebrated with friends and family through a feast, while others opt for a more intimate gathering. However, what if you can have two birthdays?

Queen’s Double Celebration

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Queen Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926

You would scoff at the ridiculousness of the impossible but Queen Elizabeth II is a living proof that it is not at all a fantasy. How can that be considering your birthday is the one when you were brought out to this world? Her Royal Highness couldn’t have been brought out twice. Apparently, it is because she has an official and public birthday, which sounds confusing.

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The Queen celebrated her actual birthday privately

The monarch was born on April 21, 1926, which was when she turned 93, the 67^th time she celebrated since she was seated in the throne. But this birthday is celebrated privately, according to the Royal.uk. Citizens will probably remember the special day when they see the gun salutes in central London – specifically, there would be 62-gun salute at the Tower of London, 41 in Hyde Park, and 21 in Windsor Great Park. This year, Queen Elizabeth spent the day attending church services with other royal family members since the date fell on Easter Sunday.

Trooping the Colour

When her father died in 1952, she had to take on another birthday as part of what was accustomed to. The reason behind this is nothing but for practicality: usually, the special days of the family had been celebrated publicly not in their actual birthdays, but during summer – as you may have guessed, when the weather is nice and sunny for a birthday parade which is known as the Trooping the Colour.

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The royal family gathers at the Buckingham Palace balcony

Apart from her real birthday, the Queen also has a public birthday, which she just recently celebrated wherein we saw the family at the balcony of the Buckingham Palace, what a star-studded scene indeed! She is not the only person to have done this as it goes way into the past. For instance, King Edward II’s birthday was usually celebrated in May or June, but he was actually born on Nov. 9.

History of the Tradition

The practice started during the reign of King George II in 1748 when he wanted to celebrate his birthday on much nicer weather than his actual special day in November. So, what he did was to combine it with the military parade that happens every year during summer, and hence, the birth of the double birthday ritual. The public event is usually held every second Saturday of June.