Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her birthday on April 21 and the second Saturday of June … why?
April 21st is the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, which calendar this year wants to add to the celebration of Holy Easter. Born 93 years ago, however, the sovereign does not celebrate her special day like all of us, it would be too simple. As His Majesty, however, it is British tradition that the birthday party be repeated twice, did you know? The most curious thing is precisely the reason for this double party, which will make you smile …
Double birthday
The eldest daughter of King George VI and Queen Consort Elizabeth, was born in London on 21 April 1926, more precisely at 02.40am at 17 Bruton Street in the elegant Mayfair district. Like all ordinary mortals, Elizabeth II he celebrates his birthdays on the day of his birth – we cannot stop ourselves from imagining her elegantly dressed in royal clothes blowing candles on a huge cake prepared by the pastry chefs of the royal house! Already from its twenty-eighth birthday everything changes: in fact, starting from the day of its coronation, June 2, 1953, the double celebration takes place. In fact, His Majesty celebrates both on his actual day of April 21st and the second Saturday of June.
The funny tradition is not due to an aristocratic whim, but has its own because in an essential element of the United Kingdom: the climate! The change dates back to the 18th century, when King George II decided to move the day of his birthday celebrations from November to June to find in the English climate once more forgiving and favorable to the military parade with which he intends to celebrate the event. From 1748 it is tradition that the second Saturday of June honors the birthday of the reigning ruler with the colored one Trooping Colors. Then, in the 66 years of unchallenged reign, Queen Elizabeth II has always celebrated her birthday twice: traditionally April 21 in private with the family, while in June with celebrations in great pomp before the English subjects and numerous tourists.
The queen's cakes
Despite the Sovereign's diet is decidedly balanced, healthy and light, her rigor falters in front of the cakes, especially if of chocolate. The former royal cook Darren McGrady in fact, she revealed Elisabetta II's passion for the food of the gods in an interview with the magazine Harper’s Bazaar, which she tastes moderately almost every day. The Royal Chef has always made sure that his favorite chocolate cake, or the Chocolate Biscuit Cake, which even wants to find at hand even when traveling.
Over the years, this passion has been repeatedly documented giving a more human and less distant appearance to the stainless queen. For his 90 years, the winner of Great Britain Bake Off, Nadiya Hussain, has prepared a real work of art by cake design on three floors between gold and palettes of lilac really attractive. A birthday so important to be honored with another spectacular cake, a huge rectangle that replicates the colors of the British flag with berries, donated on the occasion of Prince William's diplomatic visit and his wife Kate in New Delhi. Also in 1989 the birthday cake it is on three floors, this time in white with colorful decorations, then donated by the Royal Welch Fusiliers military corps to Powis Castle in Wales. But not just birthdays: often official commitments involve cutting the cake and its pleasure in sinking the knife is undeniable!
Browse the gallery to see Queen Elizabeth II struggling with beautiful cakes!
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