Why does the Queen have two birthdays? This is something that even some native Britons don't understand.

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy - a country ruled by the Royal Family. And for the past 64 years, the person who has ruled the entire kingdom is Queen Elizabeth II.

April 21, 2016 is the Queen's 90th birthday. However, there is one thing that even many native Britons do not understand: the Royal Family celebrates the Queen's birthday twice a year.

Queen Elizabeth II.

This may seem a bit odd, as the Queen is past the age when she would normally celebrate her birthday. But the truth is that she still has two birthdays, with the national holiday for the entire Kingdom falling on June 11 this year. So why?

The truth is that the Queen's "official" birthday is today - April 21. The reason she has an extra birthday every year is simply because of... the weather.

Specifically, according to the Royal Family's official website, royals born in the cold winter months often celebrate their official birthday on a different day, hoping that the weather will be better at that time. That day is called Trooping the Colour - the Royal Birthday Parade. And because the country is still cold on April 21 every year, the Queen decided to celebrate her birthday in June.

The traditional British parade Trooping the Colour

During the parade, the Queen will pass through many streets in the capital London - from Buckingham Palace to the Shopping Center... - and then appear on the palace balcony with members of the Royal Family.

The Royal Balcony at Buckingham Palace

The tradition of Trooping the Colour dates back to the 1660s, during the return of King Charles II, and became a tradition to honour the monarch and his troops from 1748.

It was not until 1901 that the parade truly became a royal birthday tradition, when King Edward VII celebrated his birthday in May or June instead of the actual date in November.

According to kenh14.vn