Why does the King have two birthdays? | Findmypast.co.uk
Discover the history of Trooping the Colour - the monarch's annual birthday parade.
www.findmypast.co.ukThe King’s Official Birthday is celebrated in many Commonwealth realms as the monarch’s public birthday, generally arranged in late May or June to suit weather and include a public holiday alongside the Birthday Honours list. Britain first marked it in 1748 for King George II, and a scheduled date has persisted since historic reforms post-1936. Trooping the Colour is tied to the official birthday, usually on a Saturday in June. Charles III’s official birthday appears on the calendar in June since 2023, with a second parade in 2024, reflecting the tradition of an independently scheduled date. Findmypast notes the parade as the royal birthday procession the public-facing parade associated with the birthday. The practice developed from a shift after 1936 to keep the celebration on a set calendar date rather than the actual birth date. The birthday parade known as Trooping the Colour forms a core part of the public celebration surrounding the official birthday, highlighting the monarch’s ceremonial role.