How old was The Queen when she died and why did she have two birthdays?
QUEEN ELIZABETH II – who was the longest-serving monarch in British history – celebrated her birthday twice a year.
Her Majesty sadly passed away on September 8th 2022 after an incredible 70 years on the throne.
How old was Queen Elizabeth II when she died?
The Queen was the oldest monarch to have reigned in Britain before she passed away in September 2022, aged 96.
She overtook Queen Victoria as the longest reigning monarch in 2015 – Victoria had served for 63 years and lived to the age of 81.
Her Majesty was also the oldest reigning female monarch in world history.
She became the sovereign when her father died in 1952 – Elizabeth was only 25 at the time.
Apart from when it was a milestone celebration, the Queen traditionally spent her actual birthday privately.
Her birthday was marked by public gun salutes in places like Windsor Great Park, the Tower of London and Hyde Park.
The Platinum Jubilee was a celebration of both her official birthday and her 70 years on the throne.
When was the Queen’s real birthday?
The Queen had two birthday celebrations each year: one on her actual birth date, and the other on her “official” birthday – a public celebration.
Queen Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926, but her second birthday date changed every year.
The tradition for monarchs to have two birthdays was started by George II back in 1748.
There is a simple reason for the dual birthday and that is because of how temperamental the British weather is.
At the time George was born in November and thought it was too cold to host an annual parade at that time.
He decided his birthday festivities would be combined with a military parade known as Trooping the Colour, which was held in the spring.
It is usually held on a Saturday in June, often the second weekend, for convenience.
However, in 2022, Trooping the Colour took place on a Thursday as part of the Platinum Jubilee weekend – June 2.
What year was Queen Elizabeth II crowned Queen of England?
Elizabeth was just 25 years old when she became the Queen of England but she was 27 by the time of the coronation.
She took on the leading role after the death of her father King George VI on February 6, 1952.
The coronation took place on June 2, 1953.
It was more than a year after the King’s passing as it was thought to be inappropriate to host the celebration during his mourning period.
During the ceremony, the Queen took an oath to serve the people of the Commonwealth according to their respective laws and customs and she was anointed with holy oil.
Queen Elizabeth II is the first British Monarch to celebrate their Platinum Jubilee ever.
From Princess Elizabeth to The Queen: the monarch over the decades
