The Surprising Reason Why King Charles Has Two Birthdays

The royal family is undoubtedly the most talked-about in the world. And from the Prince and Princess of Wales' recent house move to Prince William's candid words about the future of the monarchy, the Mountbatten-Windsors never fail to make headlines.

This was particularly true this weekend, as King Charles celebrated his 77th birthday, with the royal family marking the occasion by releasing an official portrait.

However, fans and followers were quick to note that the monarch had already marked his 77th birthday at this summer's Trooping the Colour, his Official Birthday celebration and annual parade in London. And as such, many questioned why King Charles was celebrating his birthday twice.

The answer - the King actually has two birthdays a year, celebrating on the actual day he was born, 14 November, and then also on his Official Birthday, taking place in June.

And in an even more confusing detail, the date of the King's Official Birthday changes each year, usually falling on the second Saturday of the month.

While the custom is surprising, it is royal protocol, with the late Queen Elizabeth II having two birthdays, the first on April 21st, and then her Official Birthday in June.

And on closer inspection, the tradition of a monarch having two birthdays is actually centuries old - dating back to 1748.

The reigning monarch at the time, King George II, supposedly found his November birthday too cold to celebrate publicly so he chose to have another birthday in June when he could officially celebrate the date, later combining it with the annual Trooping the Colour parade.

Traditionally, the ceremonial event performed on London's Horse Guards Parade was held on a Thursday. However, during Queen Elizabeth II's reign, it was moved to a Saturday to allow members of the public to attend the parade.

Well, that's that.