Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our longest-reigning monarch, celebrating her 94th birthday, will also be our oldest. In 2018 she became the first British Monarch to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee, honouring her historical 65-year reign.

As commemorated by this exclusive Bradford Mint .999 Silver Double Crown, Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our longest-reigning monarch celebrates her 94th birthday in 2020. Such an annual celebration is traditional done twice: once for the anniversary of her actual birth date, 21 April, and again for her official birthday, usually 12 June, although this date varies slightly in different regions.

The reason for the official date goes back some 270 years, when typically inclement British winter weather saw the monarch of the day, George II, move his birthday celebration to June to coincide with the annual spring Trooping of the Colour.

 

Queen Elizabeth maintains the tradition, reviewing soldiers from the Household Division. In England, this televised event is held on a Saturday so the maximum number of people can come out and enjoy it. This is why the June birthday date can vary slightly.

 

The birthday celebrations encompass, among many other events, a 21-gun salute fired from various locations around London and Britain (with an extra 20 fired at Hyde Park (a Royal Park) and the Tower (a Royal Palace), plus an extra 21 rounds signifying loyalty to the monarch and Royal Family hence 62 rounds.

 

The Queen's Birthday Parade includes the Trooping of the Colour where over 1,400 officers and men and some 400 musicians from the Massed Bands of the Household Division take part.

 

The Trooping of the Colour harks back to heroic traditions: battle preparations would include a regiment's colours being 'trooped' (carried) down the ranks so soldiers could recognised them as a rallying point in the heat of battle.

 

In Australia, the Queen's official birthday is celebrated in most states and territories on the second Monday in June, creating a widely appreciated long weekend. Western Australia and Queensland celebrate in September and October respectively.

 

The birthday celebrations include the announcement of the much-awaited Queen's Birthday Honours List, naming new members of the Order of Australia for exceptional service to Australia, Australians or humanity as a whole.