Ceremonial military guns will go bang bang several times in London during 2023, at the Tower of London and in the Royal Parks.

The number of rounds fired in a Royal salute depends on the place and occasion.

The basic Royal salute is 21 rounds.

In Hyde Park and Green Park, an extra 20 rounds are added because they are Royal Parks. Gun salutes in the Royal Parks usually take place at Noon. Preceding it, the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery will parade their 71 horses and six First World War-era gun carriages out from Wellington Barracks on Birdcage Walk, past Buckingham Palace and up Constitution Hill in the morning to stage the midday salute. In anticipation of their arrival, the Band of the Grenadier Guards will perform celebratory music near the firing position, which is a helpful hint if you’re trying to find them.

In Green Park, the best views are from Constitution Hill, and when salutes are given in Hyde Park, then they are close to Marble Arch.

At the Tower of London 62 rounds are fired on Royal anniversaries (the basic 21, plus a further 20 because the Tower is a Royal Palace and Fortress, plus another 21 ‘for the City of London’) and 41 on other occasions. The gun salutes at the Tower of London take place along the riverside, so visible to all, but the area is cramped. Often you get a better view from Tower Bridge.

At both locations, once the ceremony starts, the guns continue to fire one after the other at 10-second intervals until the required number of rounds have been fired.

Gun Salutes in London 2023

There is likely to also be a gun salute for the State Opening of Parliament later in the year, and if any State Visits take place.

Saturday 6th May

King’s Coronation

  • Noon – Hyde Park
  • 1pm – Tower of London

Saturday 10th June

Official Birthday of HM The King

  • 12:52pm – Hyde Park
  • 1pm – Tower of London

Wednesday 21st June

Birthday of Prince of Wales

  • 1pm – Tower of London

Monday 17th July

Birthday of Queen Consort

  • 1pm – Tower of London

Friday 8th September

Accession Day of HM The King

  • Noon – Green Park
  • 1pm – Tower of London

Sunday 12th November 2022

Remembrance Sunday

  • A two-gun salute will be fired on Horse Guards Parade, one at the start of the two minutes silence at 11:00am and one at the end at 11:02am.

Tuesday 14th November

Birthday of HM The King

  • Noon – Green Park
  • 1pm – Tower of London
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One comment
  1. MilesT says:
    5 January 2023 at 9:26 am

    I miss the days when the King’s Troop were based in St. John’s Wood, and would, form time to time, tour the local streets with the gun trails. And bring father Christmas round in a a horse drawn coach at Christmastime.

    They left more than a decade ago (to Woolwich), and the barracks site is only now just starting to be redeveloped (major buildings demolished but one protected heritage building will remain)

    (There is a memorial board to the troop in the ambulatory of St. John’s Wood Church on Lords Roundabout; can be seen on request when the church hall is not in use).

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