National holidays and customs in Great Britain

In June the Queen’s official birthday is celebrated. On this day there is the traditional ceremony called the „Trooping the Colour“. One regiment of foot guards and one regiment of horse guards „troop“ the flag („the colour“) in front of the Queen. It is a big and spectacular ceremony with brass bands every year.

The mid-summer’s day on June 24th is marked by various special celebrations. There is a sunrise ceremony at Stonehenge and in some parts of Scotland, Cornwall or Northumbria there are lit the mid-summer fires as in pre-Christian times when this ritual was performed to give strength to the Sun and drive out devils.