Queen's Birthday in New Zealand

New Zealanders celebrate the Queen's Birthday on the first Monday of June each year. New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state.

Is Queen's Birthday a Public Holiday?

Queen's Birthday is a public holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

What Do People Do?

Many people have the day off on the Queen’s birthday, which is usually held on a Monday. The long weekend marks the official opening of the ski season. 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 “Queen of this Realm and all her other Realms” in New Zealand . 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. The Queen's actual birthday is April 21, but it is 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.

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.