Queen Elizabeth’s Birthday in New Zealand3 photos

Every year on the first Monday of June, New Zealand observes Queen’s Birthday Holiday. This holiday dates back to Edward VII, who, in order to avoid bad weather that might have disrupted public celebrations, decided to move the celebration of his birthday to early summer. Since then, all English monarchs have followed this tradition. For New Zealand, located in the Southern Hemisphere, however, bad weather is inevitable in June. This month brings long, rainy periods, which are not as severe as those in England. Nevertheless, the date has remained unchanged because of the importance of the tradition and the desire to maintain a unique national holiday. In recent years, there have been proposals to replace Queen’s Birthday Holiday with a more traditional and culturally significant festival, such as Matariki, the Maori New Year. However, the government has not yet considered these suggestions seriously. Interestingly, in Maori language, the queen is called “Kotuku,” which means “white heron” – a noble and protected bird that is rare in New Zealand. On account of this holiday, New Zealanders enjoy three days off. Although it is more of a traditional observance than a large-scale public celebration, it still provides an opportunity for people to break away from their daily routines and engage in activities they enjoy, such as attending horse races or taking advantage of the ski season in the South Island. Additionally, on this day, according to long-standing tradition, the Honorary List is announced. It recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of the countries within the British Commonwealth. These individuals are awarded various honorary titles and decorations.