FAQ About Royal Family

Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her birthday in two different ways: her actual birthday and her official birthday.

• Actual Birthday: The Queen was born on April 21, and she privately celebrates her actual birthday with close family members. The celebrations are typically low-key and personal.
• Official Birthday: In the United Kingdom, the reigning monarch's official birthday is traditionally celebrated on a Saturday in June. This allows for better weather conditions for outdoor events and public festivities. The specific date varies each year. The official birthday is a public celebration marked by various events and ceremonies.

Trooping the Colour is the centerpiece of the Queen's official birthday celebrations. It is a military parade and pageant held on Horse Guards Parade in London. The event involves the Queen's Guard troops and Household Division, and it includes the Trooping the Colour ceremony, a military march-past, and a fly-past by the Royal Air Force. The Queen takes part in the ceremony, riding in a carriage or on horseback, and later appears on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to acknowledge the crowds and watch the RAF fly-past.

Apart from Trooping the Colour, other public events and celebrations take place across the country to mark the Queen's official birthday. These may include gun salutes in Hyde Park and the Tower of London, as well as public receptions, parades, and local community events.

It's important to note that the scale of the celebrations and public events may vary from year to year depending on circumstances such as significant national events, anniversaries, or the health and age of the Queen.