Introduction
Ah, the British birthday honours – being bestowed upon selected fortunate individuals by the royal family, they are a delightful combination of titles, recognition, and yes, a good dose of hilarity. And when it comes to England’s royal family, the history of birthday honours gets even juicier. For your regal entertainment, we present a light-hearted rendition of the history and evolution of England’s birthday honours. We’ll leave the prancing ponies and Shakespearean tragedies aside; we promise this romp through history will have you chortling like the Queen’s favourite corgi.
Section 1: Wave your sceptre to the early days!
As our tale unfolds, we sashay back in time, when knights, castles and dragons (well, maybe not the dragons) set the stage. Back then, birthdays weren’t the high-profile, tradition-infused affairs they are today. Instead, these honours were granted at chivalric occasions like a jousting tournament, where you were “nesty and ferful” if you weren’t on your horse’s back receiving praise from the royals.
Like a knight in shining armour, King Henry IIIs keen participation in this tradition swiftly transformed it into something even more noteworthy. Though we have no records of any hysterically witty jokes to accompany these honours, it’s safe to surmise that English humour was alive during those ceremonies.
Section 2: Fast-forward, from jousting to jesting
Ah, the glorious years of scrambling after crumbs of favour from the monarchy. As our tale continues, we witness the birthday honours in full splendour, with the English monarchs adding titles, medals, and appointments into the mix. Queen Elizabeth I initiated the Order of the Garter ceremony, emblazoned with the phrase, ‘Honi soit qui mal y pense’ (Shame on him who thinks evil of it), which was code for ‘Wear me, and thou shalt be made the butt of all short-jokes.’
Fast forward to King George III. He was kind-hearted at times, and just a wee bit mad at others. As if he wanted to compete with King Henry VIII in his six wives’ record, George III elevated the birthday honours into an annual spectacle. No one knew if it was just an excuse for a lavish party or another one of his whims, but hey, it turned out in favour of the lucky men and women who took their gravy and ran.
King George V, too, enriched the legacy by introducing the Order of the British Empire. With the order, all levels of society were included in this prestigious accolade, whether you were a gallant hero saving lives, or the local baker whose scones and crumpets were to die for (literally). Speaking of scones, did you hear about the Earl of Sandwich’s suggestion to rename this ceremony “High Tea Titles and Tiaras?” As it turns out, the royals have a sense of humour too!
Section 3: Buckingham Palace and beyond!
And now, dear reader, enter our modern-day gracious monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. With pomp and grandeur, she’s flying the flag of tradition high (and let’s not forget the Union Jack, of course!). The birthday honours list celebrates contributions of extraordinary people from various walks of life. It’s an annual display of goodwill and an ‘Oscars of Good Deeds’ – minus the red-carpet fashion faux pas.
The birthday honours have inadvertently birthed a tradition of laughter (an affliction only mildly less severe than Sir Laughalot, the jester at the first royal birthday party). The British sense of humour has evolved along with the royal family, and you can’t help but chuckle at the occasional jokes that keep the monarchy in the high spirits.
For every stoic photo of Queen Elizabeth II, there is a charming grin around the corner, ready to crack a joke about “knight fever” sweeping the nation or witnessing Dame Judi Dench playing a charming rendition of a disgruntled tree in full royal bloom.
Conclusion: Keep calm and carry on laughing
As our historical jaunt comes to an end, we hope that our light-hearted account of England’s royal birthday honours has brought a smile to your face and a thirst for more knowledge about the delightful quirks of the British monarchy. After all, humour brightens up life and shapes a history that is worth reading, sharing, and laughing at (or with).
So, the next time you see a royal birthday list, picture Her Majesty typing out each name on the honours list while sipping a cup of tea, chortling at the thought of even more jokes and mishaps. And who knows, you might even entertain the idea that one day, perhaps you too could be honoured by the Queen herself — whether for your devotion to British humour or your hilariously failed attempts at adopting a corgi.