People are only just realising why King Charles' birthday parade happens five months early
Trooping The Colour, the annual birthday parade in honour of King Charles, will take place on Saturday, June 14 - but some fans are only just learning why it's so early
Royal enthusiasts are now uncovering the reason behind King Charles' birthday procession taking place a whole five months before his real birth date. Despite King Charles actually being born on November 14, the Trooping The Colour ceremony, which also doubles as his official birthday parade, is scheduled for Saturday.
Londoners and visitors alike are anticipated to throng the capital's streets to witness the magnificent display that will feature over 1,400 soldiers, 400 musicians, and 200 horses marching to Horse Guards Parade by way of The Mall. Following the procession, there's an RAF flypast that attracts the gaze of senior Royals from Buckingham Palace's balcony.
While the tradition of Trooping The Colour in June is well-established, it has just dawned on some fans why Charles celebrates his birthday so prematurely, reports Surrey Live.
A curious Redditor, prior to the previous year's event, inquired: "Why is King Charles having birthday parades today when his birthday is on November 14th?" To which, another participant replied: "The sovereigns of [the UK] – all of them – officially have the birthday of the 2nd Saturday in June.
As per the Royal Family's official website, the grand spectacle of Trooping The Colour has recognised the official birthday of Britain's monarch for over 260 years.
The Household Division further explains that this celebration most likely started with King Charles II's reign, which spanned from 1660 to 1685.
The British Army's historical banners, known as 'Colours', are explained on its website: "Regimental flags of the British Army were historically described as 'Colours," it states.
It goes on to detail the significance of these Colours: "The principal role of a regiment's Colours was to provide a rallying point on the battlefield."
The Household Division sheds light on the origins of the ceremonial parade we cherish today, noting that young officers would stride through the ranks with the Colours aloft, inspiring the tradition.
The website elaborates on how this evolved into a ceremonial practice: "So, what today is a great tradition began life as a vital and practical parade designed to aid unit recognition before a battle commenced."
It also marks the transition of this parade into a royal celebration: "In 1748, it was decided that this parade would be used to mark the official birthday of the Sovereign and it became an annual event after George III became King in 1760," the narrative continues.
Highlighting the pageantry of the modern-day event, it adds: "Today, this colourful spectacular remains a celebration of the Sovereign's official birthday."
Despite George III sharing the same November birth month as the current monarch, June was selected for the Trooping the Colour due to its typically more favourable weather conditions.
Royal Museums Greenwich comments on the practicality of the date change: "With a November birthday being too cold for a celebratory parade, he tied his celebrations in with the annual Trooping the Colour military parade."
The text concludes by mentioning Prince Charles's birth year and place, as well as his maternal lineage: Charles was born in 1948 at Buckingham Palace, during the reign of King George VI, his grandfather on his mother's side.
He was christened Charles Philip Arthur George on December 15 of that year in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher.
The late Queen Elizabeth – who tragically passed away in September 2022 at the age of 96 – also had two birthday celebrations, marking her birthday publicly in June.
However, her actual birthday was on April 21.
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