What is the future of Queen's Birthday public holiday in Australia and around the world?

The name of the public holiday may change but, an expert predicts, the dates when Australia and other countries celebrate the British monarch's birthday may not change.

The Queen and the Duke Of Edinburgh carry out engagements at Windsor Castle on the Queen's 90th birthday

Queen Elizabeth II meets the public during her birthday walkabout in 2016 in Windsor, England. Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

The official name of the Queen's Birthday public holiday will likely change in Western Australia and Queensland, where it is scheduled to be observed on 26 September and 3 October respectively.

In a statement to SBS News on Friday afternoon, a spokesperson for Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the name of the holiday will be discussed shortly.

"The public holiday will go ahead as usual. The official name of the holiday will be addressed in due course," the spokesperson said.

SBS News has contacted the office of WA Premier Mark McGowan for comment.
Cindy McCreery is an expert on British monarchy in the History Department at the University of Sydney.

She told SBS News WA will most likely follow suit and change the name of the day, too.

"Their response will probably be very similar to what Queensland has already said," Dr McCreery said.

She said the death of Queen Elizabeth II will also have an impact on the nomenclature of the public holiday in other states and territories in Australia, where it is celebrated across dates in June, September and October.

"I think in due course it'll be renamed to King's Birthday public holiday," Dr McCreery said, adding the death of Queen Elizabeth may not, however, have an impact on the dates the public holiday is observed in Australia and in other countries around the world.

Queen Elizabeth was born on 21 April 1926, but none of the states and territories in Australia celebrate the day in April.
Sydney Government House Hosts Queen's Birthday Celebrations
Sydney Government House Hosts Queen's Birthday celebrations in June 2019. Credit: James D. Morgan/Getty Images
"We have to remember, these dates were chosen to suit the situation in local states," Dr McCreery said.

"And it's very much the case in Britain, too.

"The holiday is celebrated in the summertime because it suits people in the UK to have a public holiday in the summer rather than the winter."

And for that reason the dates on which Australian states and territories celebrate the British monarch's birthday may not change, even though King Charles' birthday falls on 19 November.

"[Just because] Charles' birthday is in November, I don't think we'll see a public holiday in the UK in November on his actual birthday.

"I think it'll be a summertime day to suit the weather and I think similarly the states in Australia will also choose dates that suit themselves."

Dr McCreery said the death of the Queen would also have an impact on the title of the Queen's Birthday Honours.
"There will be a change in the terminology. Instead of what we call the Queen's Birthday Honours, it'll be King's Birthday Honours.

"I don't think we'll see any other changes to the system of honours," Dr McCreery said, adding these changes can be brought about fairly quickly unlike the changes in the Australian notes and coins that feature the face of the Queen.

While the Treasury hasn't yet confirmed the same for the Australian coins, it is expected the past monarch's face would be eventually replaced by the new one.

"This is not going to be a sudden overnight change ... it will probably take months and years to fully implement."

But unlike the changes to coins and notes which will take a long time to execute, Dr McCreery said the changes to the names of Queen's Birthday public holiday and Queen's Birthday Honours can be brought about fairly quickly.

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4 min read
Published 10 September 2022 6:30am
Updated 10 September 2022 2:29pm
By Akash Arora
Source: SBS News



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