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Happy Birthday, Your Majesty!

Although she was born on April 21, the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II is celebrated each year in the UK on a weekend in June for purely practical reasons. The day usually presents more acceptable weather for a public party!

This year, watch for all the official pomp and public festivities to take place on Saturday, June 12, 2010.

In the UK, the most important and watched event related to the day is the lively and historic military ceremony known as Trooping the Colour - with a parade down The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, including a fly-past of military aircraft - as well as gun salutes fired at noon at Hyde Park.

Events related to the Queen's Birthday are scheduled throughout Great Britain as well as in New Zealand (first monday in June), Australia (second Monday in June), Canada, (on the last weekend in May on Victoria Day) when schools are usually closed and bank holidays traditionally called to celebrate a nice, long three-day weekend

More about the Queen's birthday around the Web:

Around the Web, find out more at top sites offering facts, information, picture galleries and historical background celebrating the life and times of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II ...

A Life in Pictures - From Princess to Queen - The official British Monarchy web site with a full gallery of Queen Elizabeth photos from childhood to the present.

Trooping of the Colour (The Queen's Birthday Parade) - History, tradition and customs surrounding the annual celebration held at Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall with related pictures.

Sovereign's Official Birthday, Trooping the Colours, Queen's Birthday - Kid-friendly cartoon plus facts & information on the celebration including origins and history, customs & ceremonies.

Trooping the Colour - Photos from the Queen's Birthday Parade - Take the virtual tour in a large photo collection courtesy of UKStudentLife.com.

Queen's Birthday - How it's celebrated in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and at other points around the globe, from Wikipedia.

also see -> The Emperor's Birthday (Japan)

also see in Travel -> London Tourist Attractions