The Queen's birthday is celebrated twice a year, once on her actual day of birth and on another occasion in June – but why?
Today is Queen Elizabeth II 's official birthday, which is marked by a military celebration in London known as Trooping the Colour.
But the monarch is lucky enough to have two full days dedicated to her every year.
One day is her actual birthday, and the second day is the official ceremony in June.
Queen Elizabeth was born on April 21 in 1926, and this year marked her 93rd birthday.
This day is usually a low-key event where the Queen will celebrate with her nearest and dearest.
It will usually be marked by a gun salute at midday, 41 in Hyde Park, 21 in Windsor Great Park and 62 at the Tower of London.
But today is her ceremonial birthday, which is always marked on the second Saturday in June.
This is a public celebration where everyone is invited to celebrate with a horse procession in central London and a fly-past over Buckingham Palace.
This year it falls today, Saturday, June 8.
Why does the Queen have two birthdays?
The reason for the Queen having two birthdays is actually quite simple – it's to do with British weather.
The tradition of the British monarch celebrating two birthdays has been in place since 1748, during the reign of King George II.
The then-monarch was born in November, but he hated celebrating his big day when it was cold and wet.
King George wanted it to be for the British public to come outside, enjoy the day and have a big celebration.
In 1748 he took matters into his own hands, combining his birthday with the annual Trooping of the Colour parade.
This always took place in June, which is less risky in terms of weather in the UK.
Trooping the Colour was originally a parade to help soldiers familiarise themselves with the colours of the regiment flags.
Edward VII also had a November birthday, and became the first monarch to standardise Trooping the Colour as an official birthday celebration.
But now it is combined with the Queen's birthday, and is actually known as The Queen's Birthday Parade.
She initially held the celebration on the second Thursday of June, the same day as her father, King George VI.
However, in 1959, seven years into her reign, she changed it to the current day.
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