Queen's 90th birthday: When is the monarch's birthday and what is Trooping the Colour?

This weekend will see a variety of celebrations to officially mark the monarch's 90th birthday

The Queen arrives at the National Service of Thanksgiving (Getty)

The Queen will officially mark her 90th birthday this weekend, despite her actual birthday being in April.

A new portrait of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh was released on Friday to make the occasion. It is the final picture in a series of six by iconic photographer Annie Leibowitz. The picture of the couple, who have been married for 68 years, was taken at Windsor Castle shortly after Easter.

On Friday and over the weekend, there will be a number of events to mark the Queen reaching 90.

Is it actually the Queen’s birthday this weekend?

For those who recall the Queen’s birthday already having happened this year, you are not mistaken. Queen Elizabeth’s actual milestone 90th birthday was on 21 April. However, being the Queen, she famously has two birthdays, her actual birthday and the traditional celebration.

She usually marks her actual birthday by going on “a walkabout” which she did this year in Windsor where she was presented with a birthday cake by Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain.

In actual fact, it is the Duke of Edinburgh’s 95th birthday on Friday.

Why does she have two birthdays?

The monarch celebrating two birthdays was started by George II in 1748. Traditionally, if the monarch’s birthday is not in summer, a later celebration will be held in the summer months in a bid for sunny British weather.

During King Edward VIII’s reign, he would typically celebrate his birthday officially in May or June even though his official birth date was in November.

What is Trooping the Colour?

Trooping the Colour is the annual birthday ceremony on Horse Guards Parade in London which will take place on Saturday.

Broadcast live on the BBC, the event sees members of the royal family don traditional clothing and ride horses along with 1,4000 soldiers from regiments of the British and Commonwealth armies down the parade while the Queen and Duke follow in a carriage.

The procession involves around 200 horses, the Queen stopped riding a horse in the procession in 1987 and the Duke of Edinburgh rode one every year until he was 82.

The bands of the Household Cavalry and foot guards provide the music before the Royal Air Force stage a fly-past watched by members of the Royal Family from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

What other celebrations are there?

On Friday there was a National Service of Thanksgiving at St Pauls Cathedral presented by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Princess Anne and other senior royals were in attendance as were David and Samantha Cameron. Sir David Attenborough read an account by Paddington creator Michael Bond, who was in attendance at the ceremony, which reflected on his 90 years of growing up.

The Queen and Duke, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cambridge then hosted a lunch at Buckingham Palace for visiting Governors-General.

Also involved in the jam-packed day was an after-service reception for 1,800 guests at London’s guildhall.

On Sunday, there will be a Patron’s Lunch street party for 1,000 people in the Mall. The Queen’s eldest grandchild Peter Phillips organised the event and the Queen, Duke and other senior royals will attend.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.