Queen Elizabeth II turned 90 years old this year, but did you know that she actually has two birthdays every year?
Her actual birthday is on 21 April, and there have been many celebrations in the UK over the last few weeks. But the Queen also has an official birthday, celebrated either in May or June. Having two birthdays for the King or Queen is a tradition that started in the 18th Century. It is linked to the bad English weather. Kings or Queens who were born in the winter months wanted to celebrate their birthday in the spring or summer when the weather was better, so they decided to have an ‘official’ birthday in May or June. The date of the official birthday is different each year. This year, the Queen’s official birthday is on June 11.
The Queen’s official birthday is celebrated with a military parade called Trooping the Colour, at Horse Guard’s Parade in London. The Royal family then watch a military fly-past from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Because this year is the Queen’s 90th birthday, the BBC has put together a collection of 90 photos from the Queen’s life, one for each year of her life. You can see them here: http://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-36013958