Charles III has read the King’s Speech for the first time as monarch, a duty his mother Queen Elizabeth II undertook for more than 70 years.
While he has inherited this tradition there had been some speculation as to whether he would follow in her footsteps by taking two birthdays: An official and unofficial celebration.
Charles will turn 75 on Tuesday, November 14. But while Elizabeth II was also granted a birthday celebration for when she was born in April, she also enjoyed a Trooping of the colour ceremony in June.
Elizabeth II died in September 2022, and while much of the last year has been taken up with handover ceremonies, Charles is now finding his own voice.
Will King Charles III have two birthdays, like the Queen?
His Majesty King Charles III's official birthday was celebrated for the first time on June 17, 2023 with a Trooping of the Colour in Horse Guards Parade.
This was the first time this was marked and the events were broadcast live on the BBC.
There was also an RAF flypast and members of the royal family stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
After King Charles III, it will be up to the next monarch, the current Prince of Wales, William, to decide whether he would like to continue the tradition.
William’s birthday is on June 21, so it might prove slightly redundant to hold two celebrations in one month, unless the date of Trooping the Colour is changed.
Why does the monarch have two birthdays?
Simply put, the monarch traditionally has two birthdays due to British weather.
As the monarch’s birthday is typically celebrated with outdoor events, such as Trooping the Colour, it makes more sense to celebrate in the summer, when there’s a greater chance of nice weather.
But the Queen wasn’t the first monarch to celebrate two birthdays.
According to Royal Museums Greenwich, George II started the tradition in 1748. He moved his birthday celebrations to coincide with the annual military parade, as he thought the public wouldn’t be able to celebrate in November, his actual birth month.
Furthermore, Queen Elizabeth II’s great-grandfather, Edward VII, was born in November, but his birthday was celebrated in May and June throughout his reign.
When would King Charles III’s birthdays be?
His Majesty was born on November 14, 1948, and last year celebrated his 74th birthday.
Should he choose to continue his family’s tradition of having two birthdays, the second celebration would be in mid-June every year.
While it may still officially be called Trooping the Colour, it is likely to colloquially be named the King’s Birthday Parade.
