King’s Birthday is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in June in New Zealand. It is the official birthday of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. The King’s actual birthday is on 14 November but it is celebrated on various dates across the commonwealth to fit with each country’s spread of public holidays.

Most New Zealanders have the day off on King’s Birthday, creating a long weekend. One of the official activities of this public holiday is the release of the King’s Birthday Honours’ List where the Sovereign makes appointments to the Order of New Zealand, which includes Orders, Orders of Merit, Dames, Knights, Companions, Officers and more. These appointments are nearly always based on a person’s services to the community or the nation.

The other special event of this public holiday is that it heralds the official opening of the ski season in New Zealand, something the country is famous for. The ski fields are popular because of their spectacular terrains, amazing scenery, varied snow trails and admired resorts.