Happy 94th birthday to Queen Elizabeth II! The Queen is not only Britain’s longest reigning monarch, but also the longest serving living monarch in the world today.
Image: Queen Elizabeth II / NASA, Bill Ingalls
She was born on April 21, 1926 during the reign of her paternal grandfather, King George V. Her father was the second son of the King, and thus at the time of her birth, no one would have expected her to one day become queen.
Did you know the Queen celebrates two birthdays each year? While her real birthday is on April 21, she also celebrates her official birthday in June. The exact day varies, but it typically coincides with the Trooping the Colour, a ceremony performed by the regiments of the British and Commonwealth armies. The tradition of celebrating the sovereign’s real birthday and the Trooping the Colour together dates back to 1748. However, that changed during the reign of Edward VII, whose birthday fell in November. Because the weather was too cold during the winter, Edward VII chose to officially celebrate his birthday and the annual Trooping the Colour parade in June when the weather was much more pleasant.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, this year the Queen will have a more subdued, private celebration at home. For the first time in 68 years, the Queen will not mark her birthday with the traditional royal gun salute and the annual Trooping of the Colour has been canceled in June.
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View Queen Elizabeth II’s Geni Profile
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Source: Geni.com
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