Midday 21-gun salutes mark Queen’s birthday

Gunners from 105th Regiment Royal Artillery fire a 21-Gun Salute at Stirling Castle. Picture: PA

Gunners from the 105th Regiment Royal Artillery at Edinburgh and Stirling Castles performed the tributes before crowds of tourists and visitors who had gathered to watch the celebrations.

Elsewhere across the UK the Queen’s birthday was celebrated with traditional gun salutes

In London a 41-gun salute was fired in Green Park by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery using a 13-pounder World War One gun drawn by 71 horses. While the basic royal salute is 21 rounds, Royal Parks add an extra 20.

Before the King’s Troop arrived the Band of the Honourable Artillery Company and Royal Yeomanry played celebratory music.

An hour later 62 guns were fired by the Honourable Artillery Company from the Tower of London - the standard 21, followed by anther 20 because of its royal palace status, before anther 21 for the City of London.

In Wales, the salute was held at Cardiff City Hall. The salute was also be carried out at Hillsborough Castle in County Down, Northern Ireland.

Her Majesty spent the day privately at Windsor Castle.

Commenting on the two Royal Salutes Lieutenant Colonel James Cook Commanding Officer of 105th Regiment said:

“As the Scottish and Ulster Gunners we are honoured to be firing Royal Salutes at Edinburgh and Stirling Castles on the occasion of Her Majesty The Queen’s Birthday.

“We are extremely privileged to have Brigadier Paul Harkness MBE, Commander 51st Infantry Brigade as the Reviewing Officer at Edinburgh Castle; and Major General Ewan Carmichael MBE, Director General Army Medical Services at Stirling Castle.

Lieutenant Colonel Cook added: “In addition the Gunners at Edinburgh Castle will be joined by Officer Cadets from Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities Officer Training Corps (UOTC).”

The Army’s Scottish Medical Regiment has been given the honour of hosting the Salute at Stirling Castle for the first time.

Lieutenant Colonel Melissa Bowerman, Commanding officer of 225 Medical Regiment which provides frontline emergency and primary healthcare and recently served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said: “This was a great honour for the Regiment to host the Gun Salute in honour of The Queen’s Birthday. It demonstrates our growing links and strong bond with Stirling and Stirlingshire, in a year where we are seeing a great deal of exciting change with more opportunities than ever to serve with the Army Reserve.”

The Queen was born on 21 April 1926 at the home of her mother’s parents in Mayfair, London. However her birthday is also celebrated officially each year in June at the Trooping the Colour service which this year will take place on 14 June