Why does the Queen of England have two birthdays?

The present queen of England was born on April 21, 1926, but her official birthday is in June.

In fact, whether England has a king or a queen in charge, and no matter what month they are really born, their official birthday is always celebrated in June. The reason is to give everybody a good time.

June is a lovely warm month with lots of sunshine, even in England. And, since everybody in England likes to celebrate the king or queen’s birthday, they wanted to have it in nice weather.

In 1959, the British Parliament decided that the royal birthday party would always be held in June.

Her Majesty The Queen

The Queen is Head of State of the UK and 15 other Commonwealth realms. The elder daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, she was born in 1926 and became Queen at the age of 25, and has reigned through more than five decades of enormous social change and development. The Queen is married to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and has four children and eight grandchildren.

The Queen's working day
The Queen has many different duties to perform every day.

Some are public duties, such as ceremonies, receptions and visits within the United Kingdom or abroad.

Other duties are carried out away from the cameras, but they are no less important. These include reading letters from the public, official papers and briefing notes; audiences with political ministers or ambassadors; and meetings with her Private Secretaries to discuss daily business and her future diary plans.

Even when she is away from London, in residence at Balmoral or Sandringham, she receives official papers nearly every day of every year and remains fully briefed on matters affecting her realms.

In front of the camera or away from it, The Queen's duties go on, and no two days in her life are ever the same.

Tower Bridge

Bridge History

A visit to Tower Bridge Exhibition clearly explains how the Bridge works and describes its fascinating history. The information below provides a backdrop to help make the most of your visit.

The Need for a New Bridge

London Bridge was originally the only crossing for the Thames. As London grew, so more bridges were added, although these were all built to the west of London Bridge, since the area east of London Bridge had become a busy port. In the 19th century, the East End of London became so densely populated that public need mounted for a new bridge to the east of London Bridge, as journeys for pedestrians and vehicles were being delayed by hours. Finally in 1876, the City of London Corporation, responsible for that part of the Thames, decided the problem could be delayed no longer.
The view today from the high level Walkways has changed dramatically, although there are still signs of the area's amazing history. With the aid of photographs and interactive kiosks, visitors to Tower Bridge Exhibition can gain a greater understanding of how life would have been when the idea of a new bridge was originally conceived.

How a Design was Chosen

A huge challenge faced the City of London Corporation - how to build a bridge downstream from London Bridge without disrupting river traffic activities. To generate ideas, the "Special Bridge or Subway Committee" was formed in 1876, and opened the design for the new crossing to public competition.
Over 50 designs were submitted for consideration, some of which are on display at Tower Bridge Exhibition. It wasn't until October 1884 however, that Horace Jones, the City Architect, in collaboration with John Wolfe Barry, offered the chosen design for Tower Bridge as a solution.

The Building of the Bridge

It took 8 years, 5 major contractors and the relentless labour of 432 construction workers to build Tower Bridge.
Two massive piers were sunk into the river bed to support the construction and over 11,000 tons of steel provided the framework for the Towers and Walkways. This framework was clad in Cornish granite and Portland stone to protect the underlying steelwork and to give the Bridge a more pleasing appearance.
To learn more about the building of Tower Bridge, the people involved in its construction and why it was needed, visit The Tower Bridge Exhibition where video screenings explain the entire project, including the difficulties faced.

How it Works - Then and Now

When it was built, Tower Bridge was the largest and most sophisticated bascule bridge ever completed ("bascule" comes from the French for "see-saw"). These bascules were operated by hydraulics, using steam to power the enormous pumping engines. The energy created was stored in six massive accumulators, as soon as power was required to lift the Bridge, it was always readily available. The accumulators fed the driving engines, which drove the bascules up and down. Despite the complexity of the system, the bascules only took about a minute to raise to their maximum angle of 86 degrees.
Today, the bascules are still operated by hydraulic power, but since 1976 they have been driven by oil and electricity rather than steam. The original pumping engines, accumulators and boilers are now exhibits within the Tower Bridge Exhibition.

Tower Bridge Exhibition - A History

In 1910 the high level Walkways were closed to the public due to lack of use. People arriving on the bridge preferred to wait at street level for it to close rather then heading up the stairs carrying their heavy loads. In 1982, as part of the new Tower Bridge Exhibition, visitors to the bridge could once again enter the walkways, now fully covered, and experience the amazing panoramic views. Although Tower Bridge is now powered by oil and electricity, the original steam engines maintained by a dedicated team of technical officers remain in their original location for all to see. This area is known as the Victorian Engine Rooms, the second section of Tower Bridge Exhibition. Over the past 28 years, the exhibition has been developed to keep pace with modern day needs without losing its Victorian essence. Through interactive kiosks and video walls along with knowledgeable Guides, visitors can learn about key events in the Bridge's history, ranging from Royal visits to dare devil stunts.

The UK flag

Here's the flag of the United Kingdom.

Do you know why each colour stands there?

If you are interested in learning about it, please click here.

What makes the British so ... "British"?

Do they really drink tea, eat roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and never leave home without an umbrella?

Britain is full of culture and traditions which have been around for hundreds of years. British customs and traditions are famous all over the world. When people think of Britain they often think of people drinking tea, eating fish and chips and wearing bowler hats, but there is more to Britain than just those things.
The British are said to be reserved in manners, dress and speech. They are famous for their politeness, self-discipline and especially for their sense of humour which sometimes can be hard for foreigners to understand.

How much do you really know about Britain? Try this QUIZ and test yourself.

First things first : What is the difference between the UK, Britain and England?

Watch this video and find out.

Welcome to All About British Culture!

A place where you can keep in touch with cultural features, traditions and customs around Britain.
I hope you enjoy it!