November 14th 2024.
Trooping the Colour is a special event that marks the official birthday of the monarch. However, it's not their actual birthday. This tradition has been carried on by King Charles III, just like his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did. The Queen celebrated two birthdays every year throughout her reign of seven decades. Her Majesty was born on April 21, 1926, but the official celebration, Trooping the Colour, takes place in the summer with a grand parade.
You might be wondering why monarchs have two birthdays and how this tradition started. Well, let me enlighten you. King Charles III has two birthdays because he has continued the tradition of Trooping the Colour, which dates back to 1748. His official birthday is usually celebrated on a Saturday in June, while his actual birthday is on November 14. This year, the King celebrated his official birthday with his family in June.
The first monarch to have two birthday events was King Charles' distant relative, King George II. He wanted to have a public celebration with a parade and all the grandeur, but being born in November, the chances of having good weather for an outdoor celebration in the UK were slim. So, he decided to use the annual military parade in the summer as his official birthday celebration. From then on, the monarchs have marked their birthdays twice - once publicly in June and once privately in November.
Now, you must be wondering how King Charles celebrates his birthdays. Well, this year, he spent his birthday working to support the Coronation Food Project, just like he did for his 75th birthday. The King launched this project last November to support the nation during the cost-of-living crisis by redistributing food that would otherwise go to landfills. On his birthday, he toured a food distribution centre with Queen Camilla and hosted a reception for nurses and midwives at Buckingham Palace. He also celebrated with 75-year-olds and community champions by hosting tea parties and live music at Highgrove House before ending the day with a private family dinner at Clarence House.
King Charles is currently 76 years old, as of November 14, 2024. In September 2022, he became the oldest monarch to accede the throne at the age of 73. The previous record holder was William IV, who was 64 when he became king in 1830. In contrast, Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles' late mother, was just 25 when she became Queen in 1952. The youngest British monarch at the start of her reign was Mary, Queen of Scots, who became queen at the age of 6 days in 1542. The youngest king was Henry VI, who was only 8 months and 26 days old when he ascended the throne in 1422. King Charles III was crowned at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023.
So, what will happen after King Charles? As his birthday is also in November, hosting Trooping the Colour in June feels more connected to history. But when the time comes for William to become king, the tradition of two birthdays might come to an end. This is because Prince William's birthday is already in June. The future king, Prince George, also has a summer birthday on July 22. What are your thoughts on this? Share your views in the comments below.
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