His Majesty’s ‘Big Day Off’: Are we just here for the holiday?

Every year, on the first Monday in June, New Zealanders mark King’s Birthday, a public holiday with royal roots and some modern-day ambivalence. But what does this holiday mean to young Kiwis in 2025? Is it still relevant in a nation that’s increasingly defining its own identity, distinct from its colonial past?

It’s something I posed to a group of 20-somethings as a ‘topical prompt’ in a media class. What did they know about King’s Birthday, did it have meaning for them, and how did they feel about public holidays more broadly? Their responses reflect a country enjoying the day off – but not necessarily celebrating the reason for it.

For Wintec Bachelor of Communication student Aysha Finlay, King’s Birthday is “nothing more than a break in the calendar”. She works as a content creator in the motorsport industry, and said while it’s a day off for many “I don’t really care about the day itself as I often end up working”. Finlay said that long weekend’s don’t impact the professional race circuit, but they do provide time for amateur racing or show events to be run as people can travel more easily.

Finlay supports the number of public holidays in New Zealand “I like the number we have.”

Year 3 Digital Marketing student, Mikayla Baker echoed that sentiment. “I don’t think we have too many [holidays]. It’s nice to have a bunch at the start and Matariki breaks it up in the middle”, but King’s Birthday itself doesn’t register deeply. “King’s Birthday isn’t really relevant to me. In fact most public holidays don’t make a difference – I still work.”

It’s a day off – but I’ll be working – Mikayla Baker

Year 1 Creative Media student Cas Eade, also works on public holidays and said “the extra ‘time-and-a-half’ money is a bonus” Eade felt “the more days off the better, I’m sure there’s more things we can celebrate”.

So how relevant is the monarchy to younger people?

Student Matty Bauernfeind was born in the UK, but feels the King’s Birthday is a relic. “It’s not relevant to me. I’m not really a fan of the monarchy, to be honest,” he said. He paused thoughtfully, “this could be an unpopular opinion, but I think the monarchy symbolises everything that’s gone before and isn’t as relevant in 2025.”

Support worker Cameron Keeys, also originally from the UK, doesn’t feel much personal connection either. “Most people enjoy it as a day off and I’d be sad to lose the holiday if it stopped, but it has less purpose and connection to NZ people than the others,” he said. He agrees with Matty that the “King’s Birthday represents the past NZ more than the current society.”

Notetaker Hannah Krautz took a broader view. “Some holidays are very commercialised – especially Christmas”. For her, King’s Birthday is just another entry in the increasingly commodified calendar of public days off.

Mercy Chepkoech, a journalism student from Kenya, brings an outsiders perspective. “I’m not exactly interested. It’s new to me and so it doesn’t affect me directly,” she said. “It’s not something celebrated at home in Kenya.”

Bhupinder Kaur is also bemused by the commemoration and said in her homeland, India, the British influence “isn’t really something people are aware of anymore”. She said New Zealand has very few public holidays compared to India, “We have a lot for political and religious days, for example Divali is 4 days of holiday and we have more time at Christmas”.

Kaur, who is studying a Graduate Diploma in Communication, will be working at her part-time job on Monday and is happy she’ll get some extra pay in her pocket.

Others see the holiday’s value even if they question its symbolism. Year 2 student, Julia Bartley described King’s Birthday as “a breath of fresh air in the middle of the year.” She raised an interesting point: “It’d be interesting to find out what we still get from the monarchy? Are they just a status symbol and a vehicle to award honours, or is there a benefit that makes the relationship more mutual?”

Bartley added, “I’d like more public holidays. My husband works really long hours – we overwork people in New Zealand, more breaks would be good.” For her, and many others, holidays like this are less about history and more about family and rest. “Christmas is great for bringing family together. It’s often the only time of year people see each other.”

We overwork people in New Zealand, more breaks would be good – Julia Bartley

What’s the verdict?

With twelve public holidays on the Kiwi calendar, King’s Birthday seems to occupy a unique place – appreciated for the break it offers but questioned for its continuing relevance. For this group of young people it’s seen as an outdated nod to an institution they no longer feel connected to, sentiments that may be at odds with those of the older generation. However, they remain grateful for the pause it provides in a busy year and the extra pay get at their weekend jobs.

As New Zealand continues to forge its own identity and grow its cultural diversity, I wonder what the group would say about the meaning behind other public holidays? Perhaps the bigger question isn’t whether to scrap holidays like King’s Birthday – but how we can make space for more celebrations that reflect who we are now?