King Charles will receive a special honour to mark his first birthday as king on Monday

It’s King Charles’ birthday on Monday (14 November), and his first birthday as the reigning monarch.

It’s tradition for British monarchs to celebrate their birthday twice in one year: once on their actual birthday, and another on their official one.

“King Edward VII, for example, was born on 9 November, but his official birthday was marked throughout his reign in May or June when there was a greater likelihood of good weather for the Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping of the Colour.”

Typically, the Queen celebrated her actual birthday privately at Windsor Castle, where it was marked by gun salutes, or would otherwise see an appearance from the sovereign herself during a brief walk if it was a big birthday.

But greeting him on the day, on his first birthday as king, will be a series of special tributes, including, of course, gun salutes.

That performance will be followed at midday by a 41-gun royal salute from the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery in nearby Green Park. The Band of the Scots Guards will then perform another rendition of 'Happy Birthday.'

Also at midday, the Honourable Artillery Company will fire a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London, his Majesty's Royal Palace.

As per the British Army, such salutes are usually reserved as a sign of respect or a welcome. Salutes with an open hand were used in history to demonstrate that there were no concealed weapons, while firing a cannon in a salute shows that the chamber is empty.

These days in the UK, gun salutes are fired on significant royal events, like the King’s first birthday as the monarch.