King Charles’ 75th Birthday Plans Continue Royal Family’s Pared-Down Era

On King Charles III’s last big birthday, his 70th, Queen Elizabeth held a private party at Buckingham Palace with hundreds of guests. There was also an ITV broadcast of “We Are Most Amused And Amazed” — an hour of British comedians and magic acts performing at the London Palladium. But it doesn’t seem like we’ll be getting a repeat of anything like that for King Charles’ 75th. It might even be tricky to get him to have any celebration at all. Upon his 65th birthday, Queen Camilla said, “He’s not one for chilling.”

But while there may not be a public celebration on the king’s actual birthday, there will at least be some acknowledgment of the big day. Historically, while royal family birthday celebrations typically involve a more low-key, private affair for the monarch’s actual birthday, there is still a gun salute from the Tower of London, London’s Hyde Park, and Windsor Great Park on the day. And the bells will ring at Westminster Abbey for King Charles. There’s also the tradition of releasing a royal birthday portrait. Last year, for Charles’ first birthday as king, the occasion was marked by a photo of him leaning against an oak tree in Windsor’s Great Park. Previous birthday portraits have included his sons, daughters-in-law, and grandkids, though with the ongoing rift with Prince Harry that seems unlikely.