queen elizabeth

Trooping the Colour: Why does Queen Elizabeth II have two birthdays?

Saturday, June 8, 2019
Take a look back at royal family portraits from Trooping the Colour parades over the years.
Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating a birthday on Saturday, but it's probably not the birthday you are thinking of. It's the queen's official birthday, more commonly known as Trooping of the Colour.

Why does the queen have two birthdays?
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Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, was born on April 21, 1926. When she ascended the throne in 1952, she gained a second birthday celebration in June, her official birthday celebrated during a public ceremony in London called the Trooping of the Colour.

PHOTOS: Queen Elizabeth II through the years
The Duke and Duchess of York at the christening of their daughter Princess Elizabeth in 1926.none
Princess Elizabeth rides her tricycle in the park in 1930.none
King George V and Queen Mary, with Princess Margaret, just visible over balcony, and Princess Elizabeth waving, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London, May 6, 1935.none
Princess Elizabeth poses with a pony in Windsor Great Park in Berkshire on April 21, 1939.none
This is the official wedding picture of Princess Elizabeth and her new husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, after their marriage in Westminster Abbey on Nov. 20, 1947.none
The Duke of Edinburgh, his wife, Princess Elizabeth, and their two children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, sit for an official photograph released on Jan. 9, 1951, in London.none
Queen Elizabeth II poses on her Coronation Day on June 2, 1953, in London.none
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing the imperial crown, walks through the royal gallery to officiate at the opening of a new session of the British Parliament in London on Nov. 30, 1954.none
Sitting on rugs on the lawn like ordinary folks, the British royal family poses for a picture during a holiday at Balmoral, Scotland, in September 1960.none
Queen Elizabeth II poses with President John F. Kennedy before a state dinner at Buckingham Palace on June 5, 1961.none
Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip are seen during their visit to the island of Tortola, the main island of the British Virgin Islands on Feb. 23, 1966.none
Queen Elizabeth II with one of her corgis at Sandringham in 1970.none
Queen Elizabeth II visits the Town Hall in Sydney with Emmet McDermott, Lord Mayor of Sydney, during her tour of Australia in May 1970.none
President Gerald Ford dances with Queen Elizabeth II at the White House, on July 7, 1976, following a State Dinner in the queen's honor.none
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh travel in a carriage during celebrations for the Silver Jubilee in London on June 7, 1977.none
Prince Charles kisses his bride, Diana Spencer, the new Princess of Wales, at Buckingham Palace in London on July 29, 1981, after their wedding. Queen Elizabeth stands at right.none
In this June 8, 1982 photo, President Ronald Reagan, left, on Centennial, and Queen Elizabeth II, on Burmese, go horseback riding on the grounds of Windsor Castle, England.none
In this Aug. 4, 1987 file photo, Diana, Princess of Wales, left, and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II smile to well-wishers outside Clarence House in London.none
Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II and her butler, William Tallon, gather outside her home on Aug. 04, 1995.none
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, ride in an open-top car as they return to watch a parade celebrating Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee on June 4, 2002.none
Prince Harry, second from right, grins and his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, smiles at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, England on April 12, 2006.none
Queen Elizabeth II, Carole Middleton and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall come out of Westminster Abbey following the wedding of Prince William and Kate on April 29, 2011.none
Queen Elizabeth II and President Barack Obama during a state banquet in Buckingham Palace, London, on May 24, 2011.none
Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, Kate Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry conclude Diamond Jubilee celebrations on June 5, 2012.none
Queen Elizabeth II watches the Opening Ceremony at the 2012 Summer Olympics, on July 27, 2012, in London.none
Queen Elizabeth II speaks to Prince George as his father Prince William looks on, as they leave after attending the Christening of Princess Charlotte on July 5, 2015.none
Queen Elizabeth II and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, at the opening of the new Mersey Gateway Bridge, in Widnes, Cheshire, on June 14, 2018.none
Queen Elizabeth II sat alone during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.AP
Queen Elizabeth II with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden in the Quadrangle during their visit to Windsor Castle in Berkshire on Sunday, June 13, 2021.none
Queen Elizabeth II looks at a fan as she views a display of memorabilia from her Golden and Platinum Jubilees in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle on Feb. 4, 2022.none


What is Trooping the Colour?
The Trooping of the Colour tradition has celebrated the birth of the British Sovereign for more than 260 years, according to the palace. It usually falls on the second Saturday in June.
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Why is it called Trooping the Colour?

"Trooping the Colour" is a term that refers to a ceremony in which British soldiers carry military flags. The "troops" who participate in the day's events are "fully trained and operational soldiers wearing the ceremonial uniform of red tunics and bearskin hats," according to the palace. "Colour" is another word for flags.

What happens during the Trooping of the Colour?

The event includes a parade with hundreds of musicians, soldiers and horses. The public lines the streets to watch the parade, which also includes members of the royal family.



The parade runs from Buckingham Palace to the Horse Guard's Parade grounds. There the military performs for the queen as she inspects them. The parade then returns to Buckingham Palace.
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The day concludes with a fly-by of the Royal Air Force and a 41-gun salute. To watch this, members of the extended royal family gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

SEE ALSO: The line to the British throne explained

The iconic photos have made the balcony gathering one of the most recognizable traditions of the royal family.

PHOTOS: Trooping the Colour through the years
Among those seen in this Trooping of the Colour photo from 1986 are Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, as well as Prince Charles and Princess Diana with Prince William, right.none
Prince Harry sticks out his tongue for the cameras as Princess Diana holds Harry and a smiling Prince William sits in front on June 11, 1988.none
Queen Elizabeth II, and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother talk together on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London Saturday June 15, 1996.none
Prince Edward, Princess Michael of Kent, Sarah Philips, The Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth II, The Queen Mother, The Duke of Kent, The Duchess of Kent, Prince Charles in 1997.none
Britain's Queen Elizabeth waves to spectators with the Queen Mother, left, and Princess Margaret, Prince Charles and the Princess Royal on June 17, 2000.none
Queen Elizabeth II waves to the crowd, accompanied by other members of the royal family, June 16, 2001, following the annual Trooping of the Colour ceremony.none
Princes Harry and William,The Princess Royal, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, the Countess and Earl of Wessex and Prince Charles wave to the crowd on June 14, 2003.none
Members of Britain's Royal Family are seen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after attending the Trooping the Colour ceremony on June 12, 2004, in London, England.none
Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall attends Trooping the Colour for the first time and appears with Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Prince William on June 11, 2005 in London.none
Countess of Wessex, Princess Beatrice, Prince Andrew, Princess Eugene, Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Harry, the Princess Royal, and Prince Charles in 2006.none
Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Princess Anne and Rear Admiral Tim Lawrence on June 16, 2007.none
Princess Eugenie, Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince Charles in London, Saturday June 16, 2007.none
Queen Elizabeth II, right, accompanied by her grandsons, Prince William, left, and Prince Harry, center, June 13, 2009.none
Queen Elizabeth II gestures as she and her family watch a fly-by on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London, June 12, 2010.none
Duchess Kate, Prince William, Countess Sophie, Prince Edward, Lady Louise, Princess Anne, Tim Laurence, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry, Prince Philip,and Prince Andrew, 2011.none
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, center, watch a Royal Air Force fly pass with their family from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London, Saturday, June 16, 2012.none
Queen Elizabeth II, surrounded by members of her family, watch a Royal Air Force flypast on Saturday, June 15, 2013.none
Queen Elizabeth II surrounded by members of her family, stands on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the Royal Air Force fly past on June 14, 2014.none
Prince William holds son Prince George, with Queen Elizabeth II, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales, Duchess Kate, Prince Harry and Prince Philip, June 13, 2015.none
Queen Elizabeth II waves as she watches the flypast with members of the royal family on Saturday, June 11, 2016.none
Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Kate, The Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and their children Princess Charlotte and Prince George, June 17, 2017.none
Queen Elizabeth II, Duchess Meghan, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Kate Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William on Saturday, June 9, 2018.none
Princess Anne, Princess Beatrice, Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Duchess Kate and Prince William on June 9, 2018.none
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