Gun salutes across the United Kingdom today marked the 62nd anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation, as Her Majesty spent the day privately at Buckingham Palace.
Salutes were fired from Hyde Park by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery at midday to mark the occasion. The gun salute amounted to 41-guns from Hyde Park, formed from the conventional 21 for a salute and 20 more for Hyde Park as a royal park.
To provide the salute in Hyde Park 71 horses pulled six First World War-era 13-pounder Field Guns from the Marble Arch end of the Park to allow the riders to pull the guns into position half way down Park Lane. The salute, commanded by an officer, is triggered by the simple command “fire” for each of the six guns in place until the requisite number of shots have been fired.
A salute was also fired from the Tower of London at 1pm, where 62 guns were fired. 21 being the basic salute, along with an extra 20 for the Tower as a royal palace and another 20 as the salute was in the City of London. Coincidentally this year the 62 rounds fired from the Tower matches the 62 year anniversary. The Tower of London salute was provided by the Honourable Artillery Company.
The Queen’s Coronation took place at Westminster Abbey exactly 62 years ago today, the day having been especially chosen for the event to produce the most likely chance of a sunny day. Needless to say, in true British style, it indeed rained.
Later this year, on 9th September, The Queen will match the record of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, exceeding it in days the following day (10th) to become the longest-reigning Monarch in British history. Following the death of the King of Saudi Arabia earlier this year, The Queen also becomes the oldest living Sovereign in the world. Her Majesty turns 90 next year.
The Queen’s official birthday is in just under two weeks time, the day in the year when Her Majesty’s birthday is celebrated publicly (a convention begun by Edward VII – whose own birthday was in November – to allow for the best chance of good weather for festivities). The day will be marked with the traditional birthday parade (Trooping the Colour) as well as the releasing of the biannual honours list.
This year, the colour will be trooped by the 1st battalion Welsh Guards in their centenary year. Members of the Royal Family will attend the parade and also the extended balcony appearance. It is one of the only times in the year where the whole Royal Family come together at the same time.
photo credit: Crown Copyright 2015, Sergeant Rupert Frere RLC
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN !!!