21-gun salute for our Duke

Thursday 02 June 2022

A 21-gun salute was sounded from Castle Cornet at noon today to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen.

The Castle Keepers fired the cannons from the saluting battery across St Peter Port Harbour as a mark of honour to HM Elizabeth II.

As British Monarch, she is also the Duke of Normandy – the official title given to the ruler of the Duchy of Normandy, dating back to King Charles III reign in 911.

Her Majesty is still referred to by this title across the Channel Islands.

Pictured: For more information on why the Queen is also a Duke, visit royalcentral.co.uk

The States said that a 21-gun salute is "the highest honour that can be bestowed".

What is a 21-gun salute?

On special days, such as anniversaries and birthdays, Royal salutes are fired from various locations in London and across the UK. In London, salutes are fired from the Tower of London and also either Hyde Park or Green Park, depending on the occasion.

The basic salute is 21 rounds, fired at intervals of 10 seconds, but in Hyde Park an extra 20 are fired because it is a Royal Park. 

Gun salutes are fired to mark a variety of occasions, including:

• Accession Day – 6 February;
• The Queen's birthday – 21 April;
• Coronation Day - 2 June; 
• The Queen's official birthday - a Saturday in June;
• The Prince of Wales' birthday - 14 November; 
• The State Opening of Parliament - usually November or December;
• Prorogation of Parliament;
• Royal births, for example for Prince George and Princess Charlotte;
• Meeting of a visiting Head of State and the Sovereign in London, Windsor or Edinburgh.

In Guernsey, 21-gun salutes are always fired from the saluting battery at Castle Cornet where the necessary facilities are kept in good condition by the staff known as the Castle Keepers.

To mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, Castle Cornet will be open to the public all day with free entry. 

It will close at the end of the day for final preparations to be made for the Platinum Jubilee Beacon, which will be lit at the Castle tonight.

The lighting of the Beacon will be live-streamed on the States' Facebook page and also on the national Jubilee website: platinumjubilee.gg