The Queen’s birthday is celebrated with a gun salute every year.
The Queen’s official birthday is celebrated on the second Saturday in June every year. This day is called the Trooping the Colour, and it’s a chance for Her Majesty to inspect her troops. But while most people are aware of this tradition, they might not know that there’s another annual celebration of the Queen’s birthday that happens on her actual birthday, April 21st. This tradition dates back to King George III and has been carried on by all monarchs since then.
What is the gun salute?
The gun salute has been used in England since at least 1496, when it was used to celebrate Henry VII’s coronation. In modern times, it involves firing 41 shots from each of seven Royal Navy ships anchored in Portsmouth Harbour. The ships fire one shot each time at a rate of approximately one shot per second. The Royal Air Force also participates by flying past Buckingham Palace with their own plane and plane formation.
Why does the UK have a gun salute?
“It’s to show respect for our monarch.”
Gun salutes are traditionally given as a sign of respect for a visiting head of state or dignitary. For example, when Queen Elizabeth II visited India in 1961 she was given a 101-gun salute as she passed through New Delhi’s Red Fort. A similar number of shots were fired when she visited Australia in 1954.
