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Queen Elizabeth II

Will The Queen share her birthday with the new royal baby?

The Queen may be celebrating two birthdays, her own and if her new great-grandchild arrives on Tuesday.

The Royal Family standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace awaiting the flypast during Trooping the Colour in 2012.

The Royal Family standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace awaiting the flypast during Trooping the Colour in 2012.

Twitter is buzzing with hopes that William and Catherine’s second child, Her Majesty’s fifth great-grandchild will be born on The Queen’s 89th birthday.

Her Majesty is at Windsor and will spend her birthday there. She does not have official engagements slated for tomorrow.

Bookmakers are changing the odds of the baby being born on The Queen’s birthday. Odds are now 10/1 along with the 25 April as the favourite and reported due date.

Bookmaker Coral’s Nicola McGeady stated: “The Royal baby could steal the Queen’s thunder judging by the latest rush of bets and if the Duchess does give birth on Her Majesty’s birthday, it’s very likely that the Royal couple choose Elizabeth if they have a baby princess.”

On Tuesday, to honour The Queen’s birthday, the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, in full dress uniform, will ride past Buckingham Palace at midday en route to Hyde Park. At Hyde Park, they will stage a 41-gun royal salute using six First World War-era 13-pounder Field Guns.

Ahead of the King’s Troop arrives in Hyde Park, the Band of the Royal Artillery will play a collection of music close to the firing position.

An hour later, the Honourable Artillery Company will fire a 62-gun royal salute from the riverbank at the Tower of London, overlooking HMS Belfast.

On 21 April 1926 at 2.40 am, Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born at 17 Bruton Street, the residence of the then Duchess of York’s parents the Earl and Countess of Strathmore.

The Queen has two birthdays. Her actual one on 21 April and her official one in June, which is celebrated with Trooping the Colour.

Traditionally the sovereign is given two birthdays if their birth date is not in the summer. The reason there will be a better chance of good weather for Trooping the Colour.

Since 1748, Trooping the Colour has also marked the Sovereign’s official birthday. Since the reign of Edward VII, the Sovereign has taken the salute in person at Trooping the Colour.

Photo Credit: Michael Garnett via Flickr