Bizarre Reason Why Queen Elizabeth Used To Celebrate ‘Two Birthdays’ in a Year: 'Just In Case...'

Queen Elizabeth II famously celebrated two birthdays every year. However, there's a very practical reason behind the royal custom—one that has to do with British weather. The Queen's real birthday was on April 21, but she also had an official birthday celebrated on a Saturday in June. The second celebration was timed for better weather. In April, the weather in Britain is generally very cold, so the Queen didn’t want people standing outside braving the chilly winds to celebrate her.

So every year, in June, the Queen celebrated her official birthday in grand style with what is called the Trooping the Color event—a spectacular procession featuring carriages and horses. The entire royal family gathers on the Buckingham Palace balcony, waving to the crowds in a moment of unity, as reported by the Town and Country magazine. The late Queen usually spent her actual birthday privately, surrounded by close friends and family, away from the public eye, as reported by People magazine. This tradition is thought to have begun in 1748, during the reign of King George II.

He merged his birthday celebration with the yearly summer military parade, despite being born in October. Not just him. King Edward VII, born on November 9, officially celebrated his birthday in May or June, ensuring better weather for the grand Birthday Parade. In the 1700s, soldiers would display their flags so that everyone could recognize them during battle. That’s where the term 'trooping the color' dates back to.

While the royals occasionally make a collective appearance on the balcony for other events too, the birthday parade has the largest number of family members present. In the UK, the parade is broadcast live on the BBC. In previous years, the program has also been made available online shortly after the event, as reported by the Town & Country magazine. NBC royal expert, Daisy McAndrew, explains the reasoning behind the double celebrations in the royal family. He revealed, "It’s a tradition that monarchs have had an official birthday, just in case their real birthday falls perhaps in November, as Prince Charles’ does."

Charles’s birthday is in November, just like his ancestor George II. Now that Charles is king, he celebrates his real birthday quietly with friends and family, as reported by Reader’s Digest. On the other hand, Prince William's birthday is on June 21, which is an ideal time for Trooping the Color, but he'll likely hold the official celebration over the weekend. The yearly Trooping the Color event showcases a grand display, with around 1,500 officers and soldiers alongside more than 240 horses. For the late Queen's 90th birthday in 2016, more than 40 family members came together to celebrate the occasion.