New Delhi, June 13 -- Britain is celebrating the official birthday of King Charles III today, June 13, with Trooping the Colour, a massive display of royal pageantry featuring 1,500 soldiers, 200 horses, and thousands of spectators.

Though King Charles was born on 14 November 1948, the British sovereign's official ceremony is always held in June. This historic tradition originated in 1748 during the reign of King George II.

Because his November birth month was deemed too cold for a grand outdoor parade, George II chose to align his birthday celebrations with the annual summer military parade, a practice that remains a cornerstone of the royal calendar today.

The "Colours" celebrated in the parade's title refer directly to the historic ...