Queen Elizabeth II on her 88th birthdayReuters 
Britain's Queen Elizabeth (C) rides down The Mall as she returns to Buckingham Palace in the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony to celebrate her official birthday in central London, June 14, 2014. .Reuters 
The Royals attending the Trooping The Colour in 2014Reuters
Even though the actual birthday falls on 21 April, England's Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her official birthday on a Saturday in June with an elaborate function called Trooping The Colour. And this year, the queen celebrates her 89th official birthday on Saturday, 13 June.
What is Trooping The Colour?
The Queen's Official Birthday Parade, which dates back to 1700s, will take place on Horse Guards Parade near St James's Park.
Trained troops from the Household Division of the British Army will perform the parade for two hours and 30 minutes. It will see the presence of the royals including Prince Charles, Camilla Parker, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotee and Prince Harry.
Commoners can also be a part of the event by watching it from the edge of St James's Park or The Mall.
During the spectacular royal event, the Queen will be escorted from the Buckingham Palace and the event will come to an end with a flypast by the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF).
Check out the previous year's event video below:
Highlight of this year's Trooping The Colour
The presence of Princess Charlotte, who was born on 2 May, will make the queen's 89th birthday special, as she is making an official appearance with her mother Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, for the first time.
Where to Watch Trooping the Colour Live on TV
Viewers can watch the annual extravaganza, which involves 1,400 officers, 400 musicians and 200 horses, on BBC One at 10:30am GMT (3pm IST).
Where to Watch Trooping the Colour Live Online
Watch Trooping The Colour live HERE
UK Viewers can also watch it HERE
Facts about Trooping The Colour
- Queen Elizabeth II is the colonel-in-chief and each of the royal men will have their own regiment.
- The royal women, Parker and Middleton will be coming for the event in a carriage.
- The Queen has only once skipped the Trooping the Colour parade in 1955 after it was cancelled due to a national rail strike.
- The Queen's official birthday is not a public holiday in the UK even though it is a national holiday in Australia and New Zealand.
- The official birthday is celebrated two months after the actual birth date of the Queen to coincide with the good weather in the month of June.
