A long time ago in the eighteenth century, there was a King of England called George II who was born on a cold November day in Germany.
Not only was he the last monarch of the United Kingdom to be born outside Britain, but he was also not a fan of bad weather and was a big fan of public celebrations. Like all of us who celebrate our birthdays in the UK in winter, we are confined to celebrating indoors, away from the freezing rain and dark windy nights.
However, King George II was not happy about having his birthday in such a cold and dark time of the year, when his loyal subjects were not very likely to move very far away from their fires.
It was for this reason that he decided that his ‘official birthday’ was to be held in June. This meant that parties and parades could be held at a time of year when the weather is more likely to be nice and the days are longer (in the northern hemisphere at least).
The tradition of the monarchy having an official birthday in June was born with King George II’s whim to have two birthdays, one in November and one in June.
From that moment on, the ruling King or Queen of the United Kingdom has had an official birthday in June as well as their own birthday – regardless of when that is. This monarchical birthday celebration is also accompanied by a large military parade, known as ‘Trooping the Colour’. This parade is held every June in London and now marks the official birthday of the serving monarch.
What is ‘Trooping the Colour’?
The word ‘trooping’ means ‘marching’ and the word ‘colour’ refers to the flag. This flag is unique to each regiment (a group in the army) and used to be very important in battle. Soldiers would learn to recognize their regiment’s colour so they could find their place during a fight.
At first, it was mostly a military ceremony, used to help soldiers recognize their colours before going to fight. George II, being the last British monarch to lead troops into battle, was particularly fond of military parades. Over time, this military ceremony became more of a public royal celebration and has gained popularity with the public over the years.
What happens in the parade?
In the parade, hundreds of soldiers from the British Army march in perfect lines wearing their bright red uniforms and tall black hats, called bearskins. They are part of the Household Division, the troops who protect the King and royal family.
Today, this is done as a ceremony, not for war, but to keep tradition alive. Thousands of people gather on the streets near Buckingham Palace to watch all the soldiers marching past accompanied by the King or Queen of the time and other members of the royal family.
Nowadays the event is televised so that it can be seen by millions of people around the world. After the parade, the Royal Family appears on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to wave to the public. Then, planes from the Royal Air Force fly overhead in a display called the flypast, often leaving red, white, and blue smoke trails to match the colours of the Union Jack; the red, white and blue flag of the United Kingdom.
Can tourists watch Trooping the Colour?
Tourists from all over the world go to watch Trooping the Colour in London. It is one of the biggest royal events of the year and a great way to see British tradition in action.
It takes place in central London, near Buckingham Palace, and many people go to watch - both local residents and international visitors.
Tourists often arrive early and line up along The Mall, the road leading to Buckingham Palace. From there, they can see the soldiers in red uniforms marching, and sometimes even see the Royal Family in carriages or on horseback.
Tourists can also stand in St. James’s Park or outside Buckingham Palace to get a good view. The atmosphere is exciting, with marching bands, flags, and big crowds cheering.
It’s a wonderful experience for visitors who want to see something truly British and maybe catch a glimpse of the King or Royal Family. If you’re lucky you might even get some good weather, or at least it can be guaranteed not to be as cold as it is in November. We have George II to thank for that!