The Queen’s Birthday public holiday is getting a cheeky rebrand in New South Wales to reflect the fact we no longer have a Queen. TBH, I’m just glad we’re still copping a day off.
Since King Charles III is now technically our head of state, the day’s been renamed as the King’s Birthday public holiday. Victoria made the call to rename the holiday back in September.
But the date of the holiday will stay the same. Not to be rude, but it’s not his birthday? Why not just make… a whole new public holiday? Or better yet, give us TWO public holidays! Just a suggestion.
It turns out, the naming convention of the Queen’s Birthday public holiday actually goes way back. In most Aussie states, the public holiday falls after the second weekend of June to make a long weekend.
That wasn’t Queen Elizabeth II‘s birthday either — she was born in April. Absolutely makes sense that she was a Taurus, not gonna lie.
According to 9Honey, it was King George II who first decided his birthday celebration should be held in June back in 1748. He made the call so it would fall during summer in the UK.
The date of our modern June long weekend then goes back to 1938 under King George VI, per the ABC. Weirdly though, his birthday was in December.
Not gonna lie, I’d actually really prefer it if the holiday was on Charles’s actual birthday of November 14. Sorry but obviously that man is a Scorpio.
Of course there are many deeply ridiculous elements of living under a monarchy, but a birthday holiday that isn’t even on their birthday is deffo up there.
I certainly wouldn’t quibble with a November long weekend — a bit of spring sunshine would be quite nice, ploise.
“Most people have only know this public holiday as the Queen’s Birthday holiday for every year of the late Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign,” said NSW Minister for Employee Relations Damien Tudehope.
There’s also the chance we could cop another holiday for Charles’ coronation in 2023, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has yet to make a call on that.
