Lancashire Day in England Date in the current year: November 27, 2024

Lancashire (Lancaster) is a ceremonial county in North West England. Created in the early 12th century, it is one of the youngest traditional counties in the UK. Its county flower and common symbol is the Red Rose of Lancaster, commonly associated with the Wars of the Roses through the House of Lancaster. Since the Lancasters eventually won the wars and founded the Tudor dynasty, the title “Duke of Lancaster” is used informally to describe the British monarch. The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the sources of income for the monarch, separately from the Crown Estate.

Lancashire Day is celebrated on November 27 because on this day in 1295, the county first sent its representatives to King Edward I’s Model Parliament. It has been celebrated annually since 1996. The celebration is curated by the Friends of Real Lancashire, a pressure group that was founded in 1995 to promote, protect and preserve the true identity of Lancashire.

The celebration of Lancashire Day is supported by district councils and Lancashire County Council, and it has been widely publicized in the local press and on the BBC website. It is celebrated in many tows throughout the county by reading the Lancashire Day Proclamation and giving the loyal toast to “The Queen, Duke of Lancaster” (although Elizabeth II is a woman, her title is Duke and not Duchess).

It is also customary to sing “Long Live Our Noble Duke” (an unofficial anthem of Lancashire) at formal occasions. Basically, it is a variation of the UK anthem “God Save the Queen” where the line “Long live our noble Queen” has been replaced with “Long live our noble Duke” to show respect to the reining monarch as the Duke of Lancaster.