The role of Britain’s monarch comes with an abundance of benefits, one of which is the chance to celebrate your birthday not once, but twice a year.
On November 14, King Charles celebrated his first official birthday as monarch. But he’ll celebrate his big day this weekend, the first time he’s had an “official” birthday since ascending to the throne. Since the 18th century, Britain’s Kings and Queens have held both a public celebration – the official birthday – and a more personal gathering on the actual date.
And the explanation is simple: no one wants the rain to disrupt their parade, so monarchs have scheduled their pomp-filled dinners for the summer since the 1740s. The practice is thought to have begun in 1748, with the party-loving King George II. That year, Britain’s annual Trooping the Colour celebration was initially linked to the monarch’s birthday. George, like Charles III, was born in November, when British weather is generally less than ideal.
Trooping the Colour, a military parade in London, was once a separate event. After George III became King in 1760, it was legally and permanently repurposed as a birthday celebration. Edward VII, who succeeded Queen Victoria and reigned during the first decade of the twentieth century, is thought to have been the first king to be present to receive the salute. The yearly tradition returns on Saturday morning, and like in previous years, large crowds are expected to gather at the Mall outside Buckingham Palace. In addition, for his first trooping parade as sovereign, Charles will ride on horseback.
Last Saturday, Prince William, in his capacity as Colonel of the Welsh Guards, did the final review of preparations to ensure that everything was in order for his father’s first major parade. The team performed sophisticated battlefield drill maneuvers to music during the rehearsal. Kensington Palace has announced that this year’s musical program would have a “distinctly Welsh theme,” with new tunes written specifically for the occasion by the band.
