The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery is the Army’s saluting battery and can be seen on numerous occasions during the year in the Royal Parks in London. The first salute of year was on 6th February – Accession Day, the day Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne following the death of her father on that day in 1952. Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip were staying at Treetops in Kenya when the sad news was received.
The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery fired a 41 gun salute at noon in Green Park. 21 shots mark the royal occasion plus a further 20 shots as it takes place in a Royal Park making 41 in all. At 1pm the Honourable Artillery Company fires a 62 gun salute at the Tower of London. This is made up of 21 shots for the royal occasion, a further 20 shots as the Tower is a Royal Palace and a further 21 shots will be fired for the City of London.
It is a spectacular sight as the horses canter or gallop depending on whether it is Hyde Park or Green Park to the area where the guns will be fired. Some of their 13 pounder guns saw action during the Great War.
