A bread ticket from the 1859 Toronto celebrations entitling the bearer to a loaf of bread in celebration of the birthday of Queen Victoria
Also called
King's Birthday, Victoria Day (in Canada)
Observedby
Australia, Belize, Canada, Cook Islands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, United Kingdom
Type
Varies by region
Significance
Official celebration of the sovereign's birthday
Date
Varies by region
Frequency
Annual
The King's Official Birthday is the selected day in most Commonwealth realms on which the birthday of the monarch is officially celebrated in those countries. It does not necessarily correspond to the date of the monarch's actual birth.
The sovereign's birthday was first officially marked in the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1748, for King George II. Since then, the date of the king or queen's birthday has been determined throughout the British Empire and, later, the Commonwealth of Nations, either by royal proclamations issued by the sovereign or viceroy, or by statute laws passed by the local parliament.
The date of the celebration today varies as adopted by each country and is generally set around the end of May or start of June, to coincide with a higher probability of fine weather in the Northern Hemisphere for outdoor ceremonies. In most cases, it is an official public holiday, sometimes aligning with the celebration of other events. Most Commonwealth realms release a Birthday Honours list at this time.
Australia
Most Australian states and territories observe the King's Birthday on the second Monday in June, except in Western Australia and Queensland. As Western Australia celebrates Western Australia Day (formerly known as Foundation Day) on the first Monday in June, the governor of Western Australia each year proclaims the day on which the state will observe the King's Birthday, based on school terms and the Perth Royal Show.[1] There is no firm rule to determine this date, though it is usually the last Monday of September or the first Monday of October. Some regional areas of Western Australia celebrate the King's Birthday public holiday on alternative days for locally significant dates or events.[2] In 2012, Queensland celebrated the holiday in October, as the June holiday was reserved to mark Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee as Queen of Australia, after which the holiday then for three years reverted to its traditional date in line with the other eastern Australian states.[3] However, starting in 2016, Queensland celebrates the holiday on the first Monday of October.[4][5]
Norfolk Island celebrates Bounty Day on 8 June, so King's Birthday is held on the Monday after the second Saturday in June.[6]Christmas Island has other holidays and does not hold a King's Birthday holiday at all.[7]
The day has been celebrated since 1788, when GovernorArthur Phillip declared a holiday to mark the birthday of the king of Great Britain. Until 1936, it was held on the actual birthday of the monarch, but, after King George V died, it was decided to keep the date on the second Monday in June.[8] This has more evenly spaced out public holidays throughout the year. While George V's successor, Edward VIII, also celebrated his birthday in June, the three sovereigns since have not: George VI's birthday was in December, very close to public holidays for Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Years; Elizabeth II's birthday fell shortly after holidays for Good Friday and Easter and very close to ANZAC Day, while Charles III's birthday is in November, shortly after Remembrance Day.
The King's Birthday weekend and Empire Day (24 May) were the traditional times for public fireworks displays in Australia. The sale of fireworks to the public was banned in various states through the 1980s and by the Australian Capital Territory on 24 August 2009. Only Tasmania and the Northern Territory allow the sale of fireworks to the public.[9] The King's Birthday Honours List, in which new members of the Order of Australia and other Australian honours are named, is released around the date of the King's Birthday weekend each June.[10]
Belize celebrates the birthday of the King annually in May. The day is known as Sovereign's Day, and is marked by parades in Belize City.[11] Horse races, conducted by the National Sports Council, are held in Belize City's National Stadium and Orange Walk Town's People's Stadium. A cycling race, also arranged by the National Sports Council, is held between the cities of Belmopan and Cayo. There is a flag-raising ceremony among other events held at schools and universities to commemorate Sovereign's Day.[12][13][14]
The monarch's birthday has been observed in Canada since the reign of King George III, when it, 4 June, was considered "the most important holiday of the year in early Upper Canada." The annual muster of the militia was held on the King's birthday, in the most central or most convenient place in each district, and every able-bodied man between the ages of 18 and 60, aside from Quakers, Mennonites, and other pacifist sects, was to take part. The drill ended with three cheers for the King before the participants were free to mingle about; they were known to engage in horseshoe pitching contests, wrestling matches, and settling old scores by fights before, in the summer night, the settlers and their families visited the houses of their neighbours or patronised the taverns; for the latter, it was their most profitable day all year. For the officers, a dinner was held, during which toasts were made to the King, the Duke of York (the Commander-in-Chief), the Army and Navy, and the ladies.[15]
It was in 1845 that the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada passed a statute to authorise the recognition of Queen Victoria's birthday, 24 May, as a public holiday.[16][17] After Victoria died in 1901, 24 May became Victoria Day[17] and the official date in Canada of the reigning monarch's birthday changed through various royal proclamations: for Edward VII, it continued by yearly proclamation to be observed on 24 May, but, was 3 June for George V and 23 June for Edward VIII (their actual birthdays).
Edward VIII abdicated on 11 December 1936, three days before the birthday of his brother and successor, George VI. The new King expressed to his ministers his wish that his birthday not be publicly celebrated, in light of the recent circumstances. However, the Prime Minister at the time, William Lyon Mackenzie King, the rest of Cabinet, and the Lord Tweedsmuir, the Governor General, felt otherwise, seeing such a celebration as a way to begin George's reign on a positive note.[18] George VI's official birthday in Canada was thereafter marked on various days between 20 May and 14 June.
A birthday cake at a gala for Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday in May 2016
The first official birthday of Elizabeth II, daughter of George VI, was the last to be celebrated in June; the haphazard format was abandoned in 1952, when the Governor General-in-Council moved Empire Day and an amendment to the law moved Victoria Day both to the Monday before 25 May.[17][19] The Canadian monarch's official birthday in Canada was, by regular viceregal proclamations, made to fall on this same date every year between 1953 and 1957, when a royal proclamation issued on 5 February established the Queen's official birthday as the last Monday before 25 May,[20] making the link between Victoria Day and the sovereign's official birthday permanent.[17][21]
Though the holiday was called Sovereign's Birthday,[17] the 1957 proclamation itself designated the day as "the Queen's birthday". As such, in May 2023, following the accession of Charles III as King of Canada, the King proclaimed "the celebration in Canada of the birthday of the sovereign to be Victoria Day",[22] thus applying the official birthday to all future monarchs, regardless of gender.
The two holidays are in law entirely distinct except for being appointed to be observed on the same day; it is a general holiday in Nunavut[23] and New Brunswick (there prescribed as a day of rest on which retail businesses must be closed[24]). Though the media mention only Victoria Day and the public are therefore almost totally unaware of the existence of the official birthday, the sovereign's official birthday is marked by the firing of an artillery salute in the national and provincial capitals and the flying of the Royal Union Flag on buildings belonging to the federal Crown, if there is a second flag pole available.[25][26]
The Canadian monarch has been in Canada for his or her official birthday twice: The first time was 20 May 1939, when King George VI was on a coast-to-coast tour of Canada and his official birthday was celebrated with a Trooping the Colour ceremony on Parliament Hill.[27][28] The second time was when Queen Elizabeth II was in Canada from 17 to 25 May 2005, to mark the centennial of the entries of Saskatchewan and Alberta into Confederation; no government-initiated events, aside from those dictated by normal protocol, were organised to acknowledge the official birthday. Charles III, who was Prince of Wales and heir apparent to the throne at the time, and his wife, Camilla, in 2012 attended events in Saint John, New Brunswick, and Toronto, Ontario, marking the Queen's official birthday.[29] In 2014, the couple attended a ceremony in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.[30]
New Zealand
Until 1936, New Zealand celebrated the actual birthday of the sovereign.[31] After Edward VIII abdicated on 11 December 1936, and George VI was proclaimed king on his birthday, 14 December, two King's Birthday holidays were celebrated that year.[32] The second holiday that year caused some industrial confusion and loss.[32][33][34] This led the government to introduce the Sovereign's Birthday Observance Act 1937. It set the official birthday to be the first Monday in June (which it has been to this day), and this was first observed in 1937. The legislation was changed after Elizabeth II became Queen through the Sovereign's Birthday Observance Act 1952. Although that act makes reference to "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second",[35] it was still in place in 2023, the first time that New Zealand observed the King's Birthday for Charles III.[36] The Holidays Act 2003 refers to the holiday as "the birthday of the reigning Sovereign".[37]
King's Birthday celebrations are mainly official, including the King's Birthday Honours list and military ceremonies.[38] There had been proposals, with some political support,[39][40][41] to replace the holiday with Matariki (Māori New Year) as an official holiday. In 2022, the Te Kāhui o Matariki Public Holiday Act declared Matariki as an official holiday separate from the Queen's Birthday,[42] making said proposals obsolete. The idea of renaming the Queen's Birthday weekend to Hillary weekend, after mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, was raised in 2009.[43]
Papua New Guinea
The King's Official Birthday is a public holiday in Papua New Guinea. In Papua New Guinea, it is usually celebrated on the second Monday of June every year. Official celebrations occur at hotels in Port Moresby, and much of the day is filled with sports matches, fireworks displays, and other celebrations and events. Honours and medals are given for public service to Papua New Guineans, who are mentioned in the King's Birthday Honours List.[44]
Solomon Islands
The Queen's Birthday Parade in the Solomon Islands, 2019
The King's Official Birthday is a public holiday in Solomon Islands. In Solomon Islands, it is usually celebrated on the second Saturday of June every year.[45] It is regarded as one of the most important events of the year in Solomon Islands. The day starts with the police marching band performing in the capital city of Honiara. Rallies are held all over the islands, which is followed by sporting events and custom dancing, and the celebrations and parties go long into the night.[46][47][48]
The governor-general of Solomon Islands delivers a speech on the King's Birthday,[49][50] and honours and medals are given to those who have done valiant things and great service for Solomon Islands and its people.[51]
Tuvalu
The King's Official Birthday is a public holiday in Tuvalu. In Tuvalu, it is usually celebrated on the second Saturday of June every year.[52][53] Tuvaluans celebrate it with church services and prayers, singing "God Save the King" and "Tuvalu mo te Atua", flag hoisting, public speeches, a Royal Salute, and a parade. As the King's Birthday is a public holiday, all government offices, educational institutions, and most businesses are closed for the day.[54][55][56]
As of 2021[update], Tuvaluans also celebrated the birthday of Charles, Prince of Wales, who at the time was heir to the Tuvaluan Throne. Heir to the Throne Day was a public holiday in November.[57]
The monarch's birthday has been celebrated in the United Kingdom since 1748, during the reign of King George II.[citation needed] Even when their real birthday was in May or June, the celebration was often on a different date. Edward VII, who reigned from 1901 to 1910 and whose birthday was on 9 November, moved his official birthday to summer, in the hope of good weather. King George VI, born on 14 December, celebrated his official birthday from 7 to 12 June. Queen Elizabeth II's official birthday was (usually) the second Saturday in June.[58][59] King Charles III's first official birthday was on 17 June 2023, the third Saturday in June;[60] and his second on 15 June 2024, also the third Saturday in June.[61]
The day is marked in London by the ceremony of Trooping the Colour, which is also known as the King's Birthday Parade.[62] The list of Birthday Honours is also announced at the time of the Official Birthday celebrations.[63] In British diplomatic missions, the day is treated as the national day of the United Kingdom. Although it is not celebrated as a specific public holiday in the UK, some civil servants are given a "privilege day" at this time of year, which is sometimes merged with the Spring bank holiday (last Monday in May) to create a four-day weekend. The King's birthday is the last remaining privilege day, the other 1.5 days having been abolished in 2014 and replaced by a 1.5 day increase in civil servants' annual leave.[64]
Colour party of the Royal Bermuda Regiment at Queen's Birthday Parade in the City of Hamilton, Bermuda, on 10 June 2017[73]
A reception for the public hosted by Jersey's Lieutenant Governor at Government House in 2005 to mark the Queen's Official Birthday and to name recipients of Birthday Honours
Other Commonwealth countries
In Saint Kitts and Nevis, the date of the King's Official Birthday is set each year.[74] The Cook Islands, a self-governing country in free association with New Zealand, also celebrates the holiday on the second Monday of June.
Despite Fiji abolishing the monarchy in 1987, following a second military coup d'état, the Queen's Birthday continued to be celebrated each 12 June until 2012. That year, the military government of CommodoreFrank Bainimarama announced the holiday would be abolished, despite being a monarchist himself.[75]
Canada Day, formerly known as Dominion Day, is the national day of Canada. A federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of Canadian Confederation which occurred on July 1, 1867, with the passing of the British North America Act, 1867, when the three separate colonies of the United Canadas, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were united into a single dominion within the British Empire called Canada.
July is the seventh month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. It was named by the Roman Senate in honour of Roman general Julius Caesar in 44 B.C., being the month of his birth. Before then it was called Quintilis, being the fifth month of the calendar that started with March.
Labour Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.
Public holidays in Australia refer to the holidays recognised in law in Australia. Although they are declared on a state and territory basis, they comprise a mixture of nationally celebrated days and holidays exclusive to the individual jurisdictions.
Victoria Day is a federal Canadian public holiday observed on the last Monday preceding May 25 to honour Queen Victoria, who is known as the "Mother of Confederation". The holiday has existed in Canada since at least 1845, originally on Victoria's natural birthday, May 24. It falls on the Monday between the 18th and the 24th (inclusive) and, so, is always the penultimate Monday of May. Victoria Day is a federal statutory holiday, as well as a holiday in six of Canada's 10 provinces and all three of its territories. The holiday has always been a distinctly Canadian observance and continues to be celebrated across the country, being informally considered the start of the summer season in Canada.
Trooping the Colour is a ceremonial event performed every year on Horse Guards Parade in London, United Kingdom, by regiments of Household Division, to celebrate the official birthday of the British sovereign. It is also known as the Sovereign's Birthday Parade. Similar events are held in other countries of the Commonwealth. In the UK, it is, with the State Opening of Parliament, one of the biggest events of the ceremonial calendar, and watched by millions on TV and on the streets of London.
Commonwealth Day is the annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations, held on the second Monday in March. While the date holds some official status in select member states of the Commonwealth, observances of the date are not uniform across the Commonwealth, and the date is not celebrated as a public holiday in most Commonwealth countries.
Public holidays in New Zealand consist of a variety of cultural, national, and religious holidays that are legislated in New Zealand. Workers can get a maximum of 12 public holidays and a minimum of 20 annual leave days a year.
Public holidays in Canada, known as statutory holidays, stat holidays, or simply stats, consist of a variety of cultural, nationalistic, and religious holidays that are legislated in Canada at the federal or provincial and territorial levels. While many of these holidays are honoured and acknowledged nationwide, provincial and territorial legislation varies in regard to which are officially recognized.
Emancipation Day is observed in many former European colonies in the Caribbean and areas of the United States on various dates to commemorate the emancipation of slaves of African descent.
The monarchy of Solomon Islands is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Solomon Islands. The current monarch and head of state since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Crown of Solomon Islands. Although the person of the sovereign is equally shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations, each country's monarchy is separate and legally distinct. As a result, the current monarch is officially titled King of Solomon Islands and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of Solomon Islands. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
The monarchy of Australia is a key component of Australia's form of government, embodied by the Australian sovereign and head of state. The Australian monarchy is a constitutional one, modelled on the Westminster system of parliamentary government, while incorporating features unique to the constitution of Australia.
Heroes' Day or National Heroes' Day may refer to a number of commemorations of national heroes in different countries and territories. It is often held on the birthday of a national hero or heroine, or the anniversary of their great deeds that made them heroes.
Canadian royal symbols are the visual and auditory identifiers of the Canadian monarchy, including the viceroys, in the country's federal and provincial jurisdictions. These may specifically distinguish organizations that derive their authority from the Crown, establishments with royal associations, or merely be ways of expressing loyal or patriotic sentiment.
The monarchy of Tuvalu is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Tuvalu. The current Tuvaluan monarch and head of state since 8 September 2022 is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Tuvaluan Crown. Although the person of the sovereign is equally shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations, each country's monarchy is separate and legally distinct. As a result, the current monarch is officially titled King of Tuvalu and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of the Tuvaluan state. However, the King is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
The year 2012 marked the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II being the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. The only diamond jubilee celebration for any of Elizabeth's predecessors was in 1897, for Queen Victoria.
Crown Honours Lists are lists of honours conferred upon citizens of the Commonwealth realms. The awards are presented by or in the name of the reigning monarch, currently King Charles III, or his vice-regal representative.
The Sapphire Jubilee of Elizabeth II on 6 February 2017, marked 65 years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign. The longest-reigning monarch in British history, Elizabeth II was the first British monarch to have a sapphire jubilee.
The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II was the international celebration in 2022 marking the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. It was the first time that any monarch in British history celebrated a platinum jubilee, as is the case in the histories of the other Commonwealth realms.
The Silver Jubilee of George V on 6 May 1935 marked 25 years of George V as the King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India. The Jubilee was marked with large-scale and popular events throughout London and the rest of the United Kingdom in May 1935. It was the first ever Silver Jubilee celebration of a British monarch in history. The King died less than a year later.
↑ "Victoria Day". Holidays Act. Queen's Printer for Canada. 12 December 1988.
↑ Elizabeth II (5 February 1957), Parliament of Canada (ed.), "A Proclamation"(PDF), Canada Gazette, Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada, archived(PDF) from the original on 7 February 2022, retrieved 7 May 2015
↑ Government of Canada (8 May 2018). "Foreign flags in Canada". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
↑ "The King's Birthday". Northern Advocate. 23 June 1936. p.4. Retrieved 29 July 2023– via Papers Past (paperspast.natlib.govt.nz). ... [T]he King's Birthday, which is being celebrated today, falls upon June 23. ... For 25 years the people of the British Empire set apart June 3 as a day on which to honour the birthday of King George V.
↑ "State Mine Idle". Ashburton Guardian. Vol.57, no.61. Press Association. 21 December 1936. p.5. Retrieved 29 July 2023– via Ppers Past (paperspast.natlib.govt.nz).
↑ "Manufacturers Want to Shift King's Birthday". Manawatu Times. Vol.61, no.302. Press Association. 22 December 1936. p.6. Retrieved 29 July 2023– via Papers Past (paperspast.natlib.govt.nz).
↑ The Times 9 November 1908 published the King's Birthday Honours list, apparently the first occasion of such awards. The lists were subsequently published on the monarch's official birthday in June (occasionally May)
↑ "Trooping The Colour – The King's Day Birthday Parade". The King's Birthday Parade. 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024. His Majesty's actual birthday is 14th November. The Sovereign's official birthday is marked by the ceremony of Trooping the Colour, which this year falls on Saturday 15th June 2024.
↑ "Queen's Birthday Parade Advisory". Government of Bermuda. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2022. The public is advised that the annual Queen's Birthday Parade will take place Saturday morning (10 June 2017) along Front Street, Hamilton.
The parade gets underway at 10.30 a.m. and as a result, the public is advised that there will be traffic restrictions in place starting early Saturday morning.
The public is encouraged to come out and view the event which will feature the pomp and pageantry of the marching units from The Royal Bermuda Regiment, The Royal Bermuda Regiment Band & Corps of Drums, Bermuda Police Service and Bermuda Police Reserves, Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service, Royal Bermuda Regiment Junior Leaders and the Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps.
↑ "Queen's Birthday Parade Advisory". Government of Bermuda. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2022. The public is advised that the annual Queen's Birthday Parade will take place Saturday morning (9 June) along Front Street, Hamilton.
The parade gets underway at 10:30 a.m. and as a result, the public is advised that there will be traffic restrictions in place starting early Saturday morning.
The public is encouraged to come out and view the event which will feature the pomp and pageantry of the marching units from The Royal Bermuda Regiment, Royal Bermuda Regiment Band & Corps of Drums, Bermuda Police Service and Bermuda Police Reserves, Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service, Royal Bermuda Regiment Junior Leaders and the Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps.
↑ "Queen's Birthday Party 2019". Government of Bermuda. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2022. This year the Queen's Birthday Party will be held at Government House on Thursday, 6 June between 6 and 8 pm. The Governor invites anyone interested in attending this event to complete the online entry form, the link for which can be found on the Government House portal page and FaceBook page. The link will be active from 12 noon on Wednesday, 27 March 2019 until 12 noon on Friday, 19 April 2019.
Government House first opened up the process for obtaining an invitation to the Queen's Birthday Party in 2015 and the enthusiastic response received from the general public since then has been a deciding factor in the return of the process for this year's event.
The Governor said: "Last year I was delighted to meet many of the people who were successful in their applications to receive an invitation to the 2018 Queen's Birthday Party. It was exciting to welcome them to Government House and to have the opportunity to share this special event with them."
We are once again inviting those who would like to attend this year's Queen Birthday Party to complete the online entry form. Sadly, the numbers can't be unlimited but we shall make as many of the invitations as possible available to those applying. This will be an occasion to celebrate Her Majesty's Birthday and to enjoy the Gardens of Government House and the Band of the Royal Bermuda Regiment."
↑ Johnston-Barnes, Owain (9 June 2017). "Queen's Birthday Parade this Saturday". The Royal Gazette. City of Hamilton, Pembroke Parish, Bermuda. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
↑ "Culture". St Kitts & Nevis. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
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