02-06-2025
Why don't we celebrate the King's Birthday public holiday on King Charles III's actual birthday?
The King's Birthday is a public holiday in all eight states and territories of Australia, but why don't we celebrate it on King Charles III's actual birthday?
In fact, it hasn't coincided with a royal's birthday in almost a century.
King Charles III was born on November 14, 1948, but the holiday falls on the second Monday in June in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory, and some external territories.
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The release of the Birthday Honours List is timed around the June holiday and includes new members of the Order of Australia and other Australian honours.
In 2025, the holiday will be observed on June 9.
However, in Queensland, the holiday is celebrated on the first Monday of October, falling on October 6 this year.
In Western Australia, they already celebrate Western Australia Day — formerly known as Foundation Day — on the first Monday in June.
Instead, the King's Birthday holiday in WA can fall on the fourth Monday of September or the first Monday of October. This depends on school term dates and the scheduling of the Perth Royal Show.
The chosen date is announced by the Governor of Western Australia each year and will be observed on September 29 this year.
That being said, the holiday is marked on different dates in Karratha and Port Hedland, where they do not observe a public holiday on the state's official date.
The City of Karratha has been celebrating the monarch's birthday on the first Monday in August — to coincide with the FeNaCING Festival — since the 1990s.
In Port Hedland, the King's Birthday is celebrated alongside the Hedland Cup.
Why do most of us celebrate in June?
The monarch's birthday was first marked in the United Kingdom in 1748, and an Australian holiday was officially declared by Governor Arthur Phillip in 1788.
The holiday was celebrated on the reigning monarch's actual birthday until 1936, when King George V died.
His birthday was June 3, and his son King Edward VIII — who abdicated after 327 days — was born on June 23.
King George VI, who was born on December 14, then took the throne.
The current date was chosen for its suitability in the UK.
In the Northern Hemisphere, June marks the start of summer and warmer weather.
As a Birthday Parade is conducted each year, ensuring good weather was among the considerations when selecting a permanent date.
The holiday's proximity to other holidays was also considered.
The state moved the date around a few times in recent years, but Queensland has observed the holiday in October since 2015.
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