“Wait a second. I thought the Queen’s birthday was on 21st April. Why is it being celebrated now, on the second Saturday of June (that’s the 8th June 2019 this time round)?” We hear you ask. The answer is quite simple: monarchs have traditionally held their birthday celebrations in the summer, when the weather is usually nicer for parades, parties and many of the other good things in life.
So, how does one celebrate the Queen’s Birthday? Well, the Queen usually spends her actual birthday privately, although the occasion is marked publicly by gun salutes in central London at midday, including a 41 gun salute in Hyde Park, a 21 gun salute in Windsor Great Park and a 62 gun salute at the Tower of London.
However, it is the second Saturday of June when the celebrations kick in properly. This is when a parade of over 1400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians get together and moves from Buckingham Palace and down The Mall to Horse Guard's Parade, alongside Members of the Royal Family on horseback and in carriages. People from all around the world eagerly watch the parade, Union Jack flags being waved. The display closes with an Royal Air Force fly-past.
So, how else can you troop the colour for the Queen’s birthday? Here are a five easy ways to display your patriotism with pride.
1. The Classic Union Jack Flag
The great thing about the Union Jack flag is that it is versatile and useful for many occasions, Queen’s birthday and beyond. Not only can you mast the flag on high somewhere in or on your home (or, of you’re lucky enough, a street party), you can use it as a decoration and even wrap it around you!
If you’re unlucky enough to be called in for work on a Saturday during the Queen’s Birthday, you may be forgiven for donning a suit like this one. Of course, maybe you just want to go out somewhere nice whilst out-and-about on your weekend, and wish to celebrate this occasion with the patriotic fervour it clearly deserves in this unabashedly colourful, stylish suit.
If suits aren’t really your thing, then maybe you can get dressed to the nines in this Geri Halliwell/Spice Girl-esque glitter Union Jack Dress.
4. Defend the Realm in this St. George Costume
It may be better-suited for St. George’s day, but we’re sure England needs its patron saint in attendance on the Queen’s birthday. It’d be rude of him to decline the invitation!
Don’t worry - it doesn’t look like exactly like the an actual Guard’s uniform (the collars and cuffs are the giveaway), so it is unlikely you’ll be confused for one. You could try marching and shouting “make way for the Queen’s Guard”, but we wouldn’t recommend civilians trying to do such a thing! However, dressing up in an approximation of their uniform and showing your appreciation for the Guard is perfectly fine, so feel free to go all out in this one.
There are plenty of ways to celebrate this occasion, so don’t let the above limit you, and feel free to check around the Escapade website for all sorts of interesting and unique fancy dress ideas.