The Queen’s Birthday is a holiday that’s observed in different ways in different parts of the world. It’s a holiday that’s generally observed in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand and is also observed in Saint Helena, the Falkland Islands, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Turks and Caicos.

In each of these places, there may be customs and traditions that are unique only to those locations. And to complicate the celebration of this holiday even further, there are basically two different days on which the birth of the Queen is celebrated: her actual birthday on April 21st, and her official birthday celebration on the second Saturday in June.

The History Of The Queen’s Birthday

Queen Elizabeth II was born on April 21st, 1926. This day is celebrated in the United Kingdom every year, and in other countries as well. However, in the UK, there’s also a second holiday celebrated.

This day falls on the second Saturday in June and was created due to the potential for bad weather occurring during the month of April. In 2012, the Queen celebrated her 6-decade reign with a Diamond Jubilee Bank Holiday as well.

Queen’s Birthday Celebrations Around The World

It’s almost impossible with an article this size to list every single way that the Queen’s Birthday is celebrated not only in the United Kingdom but around the world. We simply don’t have the space to cover all that information.

We also skipped Canada’s celebration of this holiday because we already covered that in our article for Victoria Day. However, with all of that being said, we can present an overview of some of the common celebrations of this holiday around the world. Let’s take a look at them as we conclude this article.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the Queen’s Birthday is “officially” celebrated on a designated Saturday in June, although there are other celebrations on the date of her actual birthday as well (April 21st) as well. The official celebration usually includes a Trooping the Colour ceremony by the regiments of the British Army. This military parade and Queen’s procession begins at Buckingham Palace and continues to Horse Guards Parade.

Australia

Observed on the second Monday in June, this public holiday is observed in all Australian states and territories. It’s marked with community events, fireworks, parades, and other such events. It’s also a day when the Queen’s Birthday Honours List is announced. This list celebrates and recognizes the contributions of Australians.

New Zealand

Observed in New Zealand on the first Monday in June, this public holiday includes fireworks, concerts, and parades that are held all over the country. Because of its location on the calendar, it gives many Kiwis the chance to enjoy a 3 day weekend.

Other Celebrations

The Queen’s Birthday is also celebrated in Saint Helena, Falkland Islands, the Cook Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Belize, Papua New Guinea, and Belize. Most of these holidays occur on the Second Saturday in June, with the exception of Belize. They observe the holiday in April.

Please Note: It should be noted that in the future the Queen’s Birthday celebrations may be altered. This is due to the fact that Elizabeth II died on September 8th, 2022. Going forward, some of the public holidays celebrating her birthday may be kept, removed, or altered as the governments of the countries that observe this holiday see fit. Just something that should be noted for anyone wishing to observe this holiday in the future.