Reason King Charles has 2 birthdays – and not everyone's happy about it

Reason King Charles has 2 birthdays – and not everyone's happy about it King Charles III celebrates both his actual birthday on 14 November and his official birthday, which falls on the second Saturday in June and is marked by the Trooping the Colour parade King Charles III may have been born on 14 November 1948 - but he'll be celebrating today (June 13) as well. In a tradition stretching all the way back to King George II in 1748, the reigning monarch enjoys two birthdays - both their actual date of birth and another on the second Saturday in every June. Referred to as the official public birthday of the king or queen, the day is commemorated by the spectacular military parade, Trooping the Colour. The reasoning behind a June birthday is straightforward - to boost the chances of pleasant, sunny weather during such a public occasion in Britain. Despite the custom existing for centuries, though, it appears some Brits are only now discovering it - and they're far from impressed. "This tradition dates back to 1748, when the monarch's birthday began to be celebrated with the Trooping the Colour parade," the Great British Tea Party Facebook page explained. "However, it was Edward VII (born in chilly November) who decided to hold his official birthday in May or June, hoping for better weather for the grand outdoor event. Charles' grandfather, King George VI, reintroduced the idea of having an 'official birthday', a tradition continued by Queen Elizabeth II and now by King Charles III." Responding on social media, one individual who had previously been unaware of the tradition raged: "Must be nice to be rich and powerful." Another slammed: "That is one of the dumbest, richest thing I've ever heard." A third pondered: "What bigger waste of time and money is there?" And a fourth hit out: "That is the most British thing I've ever read." However, one Royals fan said she supported the idea, commenting: "I'm all for it, especially if you get cake and presents at all celebrations, especially cake." A second individual agreed: "As someone with a birthday in February, I like this idea. My birthdays have always been indoor events. And I've never had a parade for my birthday." A third quipped: "So what you're saying is... they celebrate unbirthdays? I love it." And a fourth wrote: "It's the royal equivalent of when the kids whose birthdays were over the summer could 'celebrate' them at school at the beginning of the next school year." At the start of the Trooping the Colour ceremony, the King receives a Royal Salute at Horse Guards Parade, while a 41 Gun Salute is fired by The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery from The Green Park. The King then carries out an inspection of his troops. Each year, one regiment of the Foot Guards is chosen to troop their Colour before the King. This year, it's the turn of the Grenadier Guards, who count Queen Camilla as their Colonel. Five regiments of the Foot Guards process from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall – the Grenadier Guards, the Welsh Guards, the Irish Guards, the Scots Guards and the Coldstream Guards.