Why does the Queen have two birthdays?

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published 20 April 2022

Her Majesty is celebrating her 96th birthday today, but why does the Queen have two birthdays and when is her second one?

The Queen is celebrating he 96th birthday today but has another official birthday later in the year.
All of the monarch's loyal supporters will have no doubt wondered 'why does the Queen have two birthdays?' at some point—and the answer is rather clever.
In other royal news, the sweet birthday gift that sparked the Queen's most iconic hobby has been revealed.

The Queen is celebrating her 96th birthday on April 21st 2022 and is set to spend the day at the Sandringham Estate, having arrived there ahead of her special day.

But with Her Majesty set to celebrate her official birthday on June 11th this year, some royal watchers are wondering why does the Queen have two birthdays?

Why does the Queen have two birthdays?

The Queen having two birthdays is actually a tradition that dates back to 1748 and is to ensure her the monarch can have weather that is nice enough for outdoor activities to mark the occasion.

King George II was born in November and given how typically cold a month November is, he created a second date for his official celebration.

While the Queen is set to mark her 96th birthday in a calm, low-key way at her Norfolk home this week, her official birthday celebrations in June are usually a grander affair, usually falling around a similar time as Trooping the Colour.

This year, the Queen will have a jam packed June, with the first weekend of the month plotted in the calendar as a huge Platinum Jubilee weekend, with the nation being given a four-day weekend to mark the occasion.

According to the official Royal Family website, the Queen nearly always spends her actual birthday in private, away from any public events or responsibilities.

However "the occasion is marked publicly by gun salutes in central London at midday: 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".

This year's birthdays will no doubt be bittersweet for Her Majesty, who will be facing another year of celebrations without Prince Philip by her side, having marked the one year anniversary of his death in April 2022.

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Georgia writes across Woman & Home and Good to Know and specialises in all things royal. Previously labelled the "Queen of the royals," Georgia knows the whose who and what's what when it comes to the monarchy. When she's not eagerly following the royal family, Georgia enjoys shopping and self-care. She lives with this motto in mind; "if your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough."