London, 10 September 2022 (TDI): To honor the late Queen Elizabeth II gun salutes were fired in all four nations of the United Kingdom and on board Royal Navy ships at sea, on Saturday.

As part of a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II who passed on Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, the tremendous sound of artillery fire rocked London, Great Britain, and the whole world.

At 1 pm London time, ‘death gun salutes’ were fired to mark the life and death of the Queen, after serving 70 years on the throne. These salutes were fired at Hyde Park, The Tower of London, Royal Navy ships at sea, and throughout the UK.

Each unit fired 96 rounds, one for each year of the Queen’s life. Every ten seconds, one round was fired.

Also Read: European countries pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

History of gun salutes

The death gun salutes are a legacy of the time when England commanded the seas thousands of miles distant from London in Australia and New Zealand.

British Army artillery officer Josh Bate explained the history of gun salutes. He explained that the tradition of firing off all cannons upon entering a friendly port date back to the 16th century. The Royal Navy ships did so to demonstrate that they had no loaded weapons and were thus not a danger.

The friendly port then responded by firing its guns to demonstrate that it had received the salute and that it posed no threat to the coming ship.

Bate said that the tradition has changed over the previous few centuries. It is now merely a more universal gesture of respect, and we fire a varied number of guns depending on who is honored.

The 21-gun salute, also known as the royal salute, is the most prevalent salutation. It is reserved for members of the royal family and it’s the royal salute.

Lastly, bate said that it is a very sad day. The Royal Regiment of Artillery is honored to contribute to this tragic day by firing gun salutes appropriate for the occasion.

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