Queen's Birthday in New Zealand

Many New Zealanders celebrate the Queen's Birthday on the first Monday of June each year, as New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy with the Queen of the United Kingdom being the head of state.

What Do People Do?

Many people have the day off on the Queen’s birthday, which is the official opening of the ski season. It’s usually held on a Monday so is part of a long weekend. The Queen's Honours list is released around the time of the Queen’s birthday public holiday. This list has hundreds of recipients, who are honoured and recognized for public service, from services to television to services to prisoner welfare.

Public Life

The Queen's birthday is a public holiday in New Zealand. Schools, government offices, and many businesses are closed.

Background

The official head of state of New Zealand is the Monarch of the Commonwealth Realms. The monarch's birthday is officially celebrated in many parts of New Zealand. On her accession in 1952 Queen Elizabeth II was proclaimed in New Zealand ‘Queen of this Realm and all her other Realms’. Her representative in New Zealand, the governor general, has symbolic and ceremonial roles and is not involved in the day-to-day running of the government, which is the domain of the prime minister. Her actual birthday is on April 21, but it's celebrated as a public holiday on the first Monday of June.

Symbols

Images of the Queen are seen on various paraphanalia, especially royal collection items. Some museums may display these items especially around the time of the Queen's birthday holiday.

Queen's Birthday Observances