Gun salutes rang out across London on Monday afternoon as celebrations honoured Queen Elizabeth II’s record-breaking platinum reign.
Londoners, tourists and avid royal fans crowded around the waterfront next to Tower Bridge to watch a 62-gun salute fired over the River Thames.
Some people told The National that attending the gathering was particularly special for them because some of their earliest memories were watching the queen ascend the throne in a live television broadcast.
The gun salute is a military honour fired to mark special occasions, including birthdays and anniversaries.
The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, named by the Queen's father King George VI 75 years ago, fired a 41-gun salute from London's Green Park. The blasts rung out across the park which stretches to Buckingham Palace. Earlier, the Band of Grenadier Guards had given a musical performance.
Brothers Ahmad and Mahmoud Sherif travelled from their home in Acton, west London, to the Tower of London with their sister and mother.
The family, who are originally from Syria, moved to the UK five years ago and were delighted to witness the historic occasion at one of the capital’s iconic landmarks.
Ahmad, 11, described how the loud bangs from the gun salute reminded him of war, but said overall he found the firing of the cannons “interesting and fun”.
“I have never seen that action before, only on the TV. It was kind of exciting but also scary – I thought it was from a war,” he told The National.
“I sometimes see the queen on TV and we learn about her in school and also about ancient things. A lot of my friends have been to the Tower of London and now I am here.”
His younger brother Mahmoud, 9, beamed as he described his initial reaction to witnessing the military honour.
“When I heard it I thought there was a fire and I was nervous but then I was told they are shooting cannon,” he said. “I think it was interesting.”
On Monday, it was reported that the queen had returned to Windsor Castle from Sandringham, her country retreat in Norfolk, and will attend a service of thanksgiving for her late husband Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey on March 29.
As well as the service for the duke, it is understood the head of the royal family will attend a diplomatic reception at Windsor on March 2 and the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 14.
The 95-year-old monarch is also expected to resume other duties such as audiences, credentials and privy council meetings which will be held in person and online.
East Londoner Jimmy James, 74, and his wife Susan, 73, decided to travel to central London on Monday to get in on the action because watching it on television would not have been the same.
“All the pomp and the rest of it – you don’t get that on television. It’s better to be here in person,” said Mrs James.
After watching the gun salute at the Tower of London, both recalled vivid childhood memories of the queen's coronation
“Our neighbour was the only person in the street who had a TV and she opened her doors for everyone to watch it,” said Mrs James. “It was so beautiful. Anything to do with the royal family is so regal and pomp. There are some memories that just stick out in your mind and that’s one of them.”
Her husband remembered marking the monarch's accession to the throne by attending a street party near his childhood home in Bethnal Green, east London.
“We had lines and lines of tables and there were kids and their mums and dads watching the ceremony on TV," he said. "I remember they had a great big magnifying glass placed in front of the TV so that everyone could watch it. The TV was small but they made it into a 30-inch screen.”
The couple praised the queen for her dedicated service to the Commonwealth and said she has been an inspiration to generations of men and women.
“She’s just been an inspiration to everybody and people look up to her not just in England but around the world. She’s the most famous woman in the world.”
The queen became the first British monarch to rule for 70 years on Sunday.
On Saturday, she announced it was her “sincere wish” that her eldest son’s second wife be known as Queen Consort on his accession to the throne.
Camilla, 74, who currently has the title of Duchess of Cornwall, has become a popular member of the royal family and regularly appears at official duties, alongside her husband Prince Charles and the queen.
Mr James said he was surprised by the monarch’s announcement, but nevertheless happy about her decision.
“I was not expecting it, but I am not against it,” he said. “I think Camilla has been wonderful really and she’s not put a step out of line.”
Mr James, who has followed the royal family throughout his life, said he cannot foresee any circumstances whereby the queen would abdicate the throne.
“I cannot see her giving up. I think she will see it to the end,” he said.
Lt Col James Shaw, who as Brigade Major of the prestigious Household Division oversees the Army's big ceremonial events, said Monday's military salutes were just the beginning of the UK's platinum jubilee celebrations.
"For me this is the launch of the platinum jubilee. This is where it all starts for all of us and as a country," he said.
"This is no doubt a career highlight for me. I'm honoured to be involved. On June 2, we've got the queen's birthday parade, with 1,400 troops involved in that, and on June 5 there's the pageant and the armed forces will also be involved.”
Royal and national salutes feature 21 rounds, but increase to 41 rounds when fired from a royal park or residence. The Tower of London salute is 62-guns.
The guns fire at 10-second intervals.
The 4th Infantry Brigade and HQ North East (4 Brigade) also fired a 21-gun salute at York Museum Gardens.
The queen was advised to undertake light duties after a night in hospital last autumn, and it is likely she will still be mindful of the advice.
But at the weekend, the head of the royal family held her largest in-person public engagement since then, welcoming members of the Sandringham community to her Norfolk home to celebrate the jubilee.
She used a walking stick but looked well, moved freely and clearly enjoyed meeting former Sandringham estate workers, charity volunteers and colleagues from the Sandringham branch of the Women’s Institute.
During her seven decades on the throne, the queen has overseen a wealth of social, economic and political change, including the end of the British Empire.
She became the queen of Britain and more than a dozen other realms including Canada, Australia and New Zealand on the death of her father King George VI on February 6, 1952, while she was on an international tour in Kenya.
The news was broken to her by her husband Prince Philip, who died last year aged 99 after more than 70 years by her side.
The queen said on Saturday that she wished to renew the pledge she had made in 1947, when she turned 21, that her life would be one of devotion to the country.
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Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her platinum jubilee in 2022, the first British monarch to reign for 70 years. Here 'The National' looks back at each of the years the queen has been on the throne. All photos: Getty Images -
1952: A portrait of the queen and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. -
1953: The queen and the Duke of Edinburgh wave at the crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London, after the queen's coronation, on June 2. -
1954: The queen talking to an injured ex-serviceman during a visit to Repatriation General Hospital in Hobart, Australia. -
1955: Gen Francisco Craveiro Lopes, President of Portugal, leaves Westminster Pier for Buckingham Palace by coach, with the queen. -
1956: The queen inspects the Queen's Own Nigeria Regiment, at Kaduna Airport, Nigeria, during her Commonwealth tour. -
1957: The queen presents the trophy to American tennis player Althea Gibson after she won the women's singles tennis title at Wimbledon. -
1958: The queen shares a joke while watching Prince Philip during a cricket match at Highclere Castle, Hampshire. -
1959: US president Dwight D Eisenhower with Prince Philip, Princess Anne, the queen, Prince Charles and John Eisenhower, at Balmoral Castle, Scotland. -
1960: The queen and Prince Charles walk through Liverpool Street Station in London with their dogs, having returned by train from Sandringham after the Christmas holidays. -
1961: The queen and Prince Philip leave Manchester by train. -
1962: The queen attends the races at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey. -
1963: The queen waves to residents from the rear of an open top car in the town of Russell, during a Commonwealth visit to New Zealand. -
1964: The queen during the State Opening of Parliament ceremony in the chamber of the House of Lords, at the Palace of Westminster in London. -
1965: At the Tissisal Falls, where the Blue Nile begins, with Emperor Haile Selassie during a royal visit to Ethiopia. -
1966: The queen smiling after presenting England captain Bobby Moore with the Jules Rimet trophy, following England's 4-2 victory over West Germany in the World Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London. -
1967: The queen meets actor Rex Harrison and his wife Rachel Roberts at the premiere of the film 'Dr Dolittle' at the Odeon Marble Arch, London. -
1968: The queen, Princess Margaret, and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, riding at Ascot Racecourse. -
1969: The royal family at Windsor: Prince Edward, the queen, Princess Anne, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew. -
1970: US president Richard Nixon and British prime minister Edward Heath meet the queen for lunch at Chequers. -
1971: Prince Charles takes part in a polo match in Windsor Great Park, accompanied by the queen and Prince Edward. -
1972: The queen and Prince Philip with the president of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta, during a visit to Kenya. -
1973: Anne, the Princess Royal and Mark Phillips with the queen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London after their wedding. -
1974: The queen with the Queen's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard at Buckingham Palace in London. -
1975: The queen greets the public while visiting Greenwich, London. -
1976: The queen looking relaxed standing next to her car. -
1977: The crowd cheers the queen in her gilded state coach during her silver jubilee procession. -
1978: The queen and Prince Philip are greeted by Native Canadians as they arrive by train during a tour of Canada. -
1979: The queen is met by president Julius Nyerere at Dar es Salaam airport, at the start of a three-day state visit to Tanzania. -
1980: On a tour of the Chelsea Flower Show, London. -
1981: The Prince and Princess of Wales pose on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on their wedding day, with the queen. -
1982: US president Ronald Reagan and the queen at a gala dinner at Windsor Castle. -
1983: The queen and Prince Philip are met by Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi and president Zail Singh at Palam Airport, New Delhi, during a Commonwealth tour of India. -
1984: Prince Charles is presented with an award by his mother, after a polo match at Smiths Lawn in Windsor. -
1985: The queen visits the University of Evora during a state visit to Portugal. -
1986: The queen and Li Xiannian, president of China, outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing during her visit to China. -
1987: The queen with Prince William and Prince Harry in the Royal Box at Guards Polo Club, Smiths Lawn, Windsor. -
1988: US president Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy Reagan chatting with the queen at Buckingham Palace. -
1989: The royal family gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London for the Trooping the Colour ceremony. Pictured are Princess Margaret, Princess Diana, Prince Harry, Prince William, the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. -
1990: The queen on a walkabout in Reykjavik, during a three-day state visit to Iceland. -
1991: England captain Will Carling introduces the queen to the England team before the Rugby World Cup Final against Australia at Twickenham. -
1992: The queen at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin during an official tour of Germany. She is seen with President Richard Von Weizsaecker. -
1993: The queen walking through the crowds at Royal Ascot. -
1994: The queen, Princess Anne, Prince Philip and Princess Diana greeting well-wishers as they attend the Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. -
1995: The queen at a banquet in Cape Town, South Africa, with president Nelson Mandela. -
1996: Germany captain Jurgen Klinsmann lifts the trophy as the queen smiles, after the 1996 UEFA European Championships Final against Czech Republic at Wembley Stadium in London. -
1997: The queen and Prince Philip view tributes from the public outside Buckingham Palace to Diana, Princess of Wales, after her funeral. -
1998: The queen shopping at the trade stands at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. -
1999: With British prime minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie Blair during the Millennium New Year celebrations in Greenwich, London. -
2000: The queen and Italy's president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi walk past the honour guard at the Piazza Di Siena in Rome. -
2001: The queen and other members of the royal family appear with the Queen Mother during celebrations to mark her 101st birthday in London. -
2002: The queen and Prince Philip leave after a party for close friends and family at The Ritz hotel in London. The monarch was thanking them for making her golden jubilee year a success. -
2003: Russian President Vladimir Putin is accompanied by the queen during a procession at the start of his state visit in London. -
2004: The queen arrives in her horsedrawn carriage to attend Ladies Day at Royal Ascot. -
2005: Prince Charles and his bride, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, pose with their families and the queen at Windsor Castle after their wedding ceremony. -
2006: The queen smiles at the crowds in Windsor, during a walk in the town to celebrate her 80th Birthday. -
2007: A less-than-impressed queen raises her hand during a downpour as she stands with Prince Philip and Prince Charles on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour ceremony. -
2008: The queen stands in the music room at Buckingham Palace after recording her Christmas day message to the Commonwealth. -
2009: US president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama with the queen and Prince Philip during an audience at Buckingham Palace. -
2010: The queen and Prince Philip wear 3D glasses to watch a demonstration, during a visit to the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. -
2011: The queen and Prince Philip arrive to open the Sainsbury Laboratory for Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge Botanic Garden. -
2012: The queen makes a speech at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games in London. -
2013: The queen and other members of the royal family leave Westminster Abbey in London, after the service to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the coronation of the queen there. -
2014: A smiling queen arrives for the opening of the Flanders Fields Memorial Garden at Wellington Barracks in London. -
2015: The queen signs a book during a visit to the headquarters of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force's 603 Squadron in Edinburgh, Scotland. -
2016: Prince Charles, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William, Prince Harry, the queen, and Prince Philip stand on the balcony during the Trooping the Colour, this year marking the Queen's 90th birthday at The Mall. -
2017: The queen and Prince Charles attend the State Opening Of Parliament in the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster, London. -
2018: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and the queen at the Queen's Young Leaders Awards Ceremony at Buckingham Palace. -
2019: The queen and US president Donald Trump arrive for a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. -
2020: Riding at Windsor. The queen has been in residence at Windsor Castle during the coronavirus pandemic. -
2021: The queen takes her seat at the funeral of Prince Philip, in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
