Prince William could revisit one of the monarchy’s longest-running customs when he becomes king: the tradition of having two birthdays. Former royal butler Grant Harrold said some royal watchers have speculated that William may review it, though there is no guarantee he will scrap it altogether.
The question lands just as 2025 Trooping The Colour approaches on Saturday, June 13, when fans expect William, Princess Kate and their children to appear. The parade is the monarch’s official birthday celebration, and for the royal family it remains one of the most visible dates on the calendar.
Trooping the Colour has been staged annually since 1760, and its roots go back even further to the reign of Charles II. It is now held in June because the summer weather is more reliable for an outdoor military parade and carriage procession than the colder, wetter months that once made the event uncomfortable and harder to stage. King George II introduced the idea of marking an official summer birthday in the 18th century, creating a separate public celebration from the monarch’s actual birthday.
Harrold said the tradition has a “less practical need” for a monarch whose real birthday falls in summer. William was born on June 21, so unlike kings born in November, such as Charles and George II, he would not need the same workaround. Queen Elizabeth was born in April, another month when the official summer observance still made sense.
That is where the speculation meets the uncertainty. William may have little reason to keep the two-birthday custom as it now exists, but Harrold was clear that a change is not automatic. The royal family has kept the arrangement for more than 260 years, and the next king may decide that heritage matters more than convenience. If he does leave it in place, Trooping the Colour will stay both a public showpiece and a second birthday for the sovereign. If he does not, one of the monarchy’s most familiar rituals could finally be simplified.
