This weekend is a long weekend for us here in Australia. As a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, Australia allows its citizens a public holiday to celebrate the Queen’s official birthday even though Her Maj probably blows up a few balloons and serves ice-cream & jelly on her actual birthday, being 21 April.
The Monarch’s birthday has been celebrated in Australia since 1788, when Governor Arthur Phillip unfurled the bunting and threw a party for King George III. The Aussies don’t need an excuse to party so it soon became an annual public holiday – a celebration of the Monarch’s birthday; held every year until the death of King George V in 1936. After the King’s death it was decided to hold the Monarch’s birthday public holiday around the second weekend of June.
I like to gloat to my friends and family back in the UK that we have a DAY OFF to mark the Queen’s birthday when there is no such luxury for them. So I shall kick back and enjoy the long weekend whilst it’s business as usual in good old Blighty – such is life!
Waking the Wombat 
4 replies on “Happy Birthday Your Majesty”
It’s always good to have a day off, whatever the reason! Brunei has a public holiday on Christmas day, even though you are not publicly allowed to celebrate Christmas anymore!
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wow! so different from our western culture
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There’s something not right here. Not only do you get the weather but you also get a day off for the Queen’s birthday? I need to write to Her Maj and complain on behalf of all Brits still stuck on this cold, wet island! Enjoy your day x
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If it’s any consolation it has ended up wet and windy here in Adelaide – Ha! karma 🙂
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