Gun salutes rang out across London and beyond to mark Queen Camilla’s 78th birthday on Thursday.
To mark the special event, several military units across the nation banded together, each putting on their own artillery display for the royal.
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired a 41-gun salute in Green Park andThe Honourable Artillery Company set off a 62-gun Salute from Tower Wharf.
Soliders from the 160th Field Artillery Battalion, from the US National Guard inMichigan, were involved in firing a Royal Gun Salute in Cardiff Bay.
They performed alongsideReservists from the 104th Regiment Royal Artillery, as the British Army marked Camilla’s special day withtraditional gun salutes and music.
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and The Honourable Artillery Company each fired celebratory Royal Salutes at 12 noon and 1pm respectively.
Gun salutes are regularly fired for the Royal Family on special occasions, such as anniversaries and birthdays and are often givenas a sign of respect or welcome.
The basic salute is 21 rounds, fired at 10 second intervals, but in Hyde Park or Green Park an extra 20 are fired because it is a Royal Park.
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery fire a 41-gun salute in Green Park to celebrate Quen Camilla’s 78th birthday
The Royal Family released this new image of Queen Camilla ahead of her 78th birthday on Thursday
Soldiers from the 160th Field Artillery Battalion from the US National Guard in Michigan were involved in firing a Royal Gun Salute in Cardiff Bay on Thursday for the celebration
The special cannon fire comes as the Prince andPrincess of Walespaid tribute to Queen Camillafor her birthday.
Kate and William, both 43, used their social media accounts to wish William’s stepmother many happy returns.
The pair, taking to Instagram, shared a sweet photo of the Queen with a message that read: ‘Happy Birthday to Her Majesty’. They later shared the message on X (formerlyTwitter).
Developing a close bond with his stepmother over the years, the heir to the throne appears to have bonded with Camilla as they last year faced similar hurdles in their personal lives, with both of their spouses are undergoing treatments for cancer.
Elsewhere, mother-of-three Kate is also said to enoy a warm relationship with the Queen, with the pair often snapped chatting cordially during joint royal engagements.
In December, the two even wore nearly identical outfits as they arrived at St Mary Magdalene church for theRoyal Family‘s annual Christmas Day service in Sandringham in a sartorial display of solidarity.
King Charles‘s wife has marked today’s celebrations with a stunning new portrait released byBuckingham Palace.
Royal photographer Chris Jackson, who also snapped the then-Duchess of Cornwall on her 75th birthday, took the picture earlier this month at Ray Mill – the Queen’s private residence in Wiltshire.
The Honourable Artillery Company prepare to fire a 62 Gun Royal Salute from Tower Wharf
William and Kate shared the new image of Her Majesty to Instagram and X (Twitter) this morning
Queen Camilla was photographed beaming in the sunshine in a stunning new birthday portrait released by Buckingham Palace to mark her 78th birthday tomorrow
Camilla and Kate (pictured attending Trooping the Colour in 2022) are said to enjoy a close relationship
Camilla is pictured with a big smile on her face as she leans against a fence while enjoying a warm summer day at her home.
She opted to wear a bright teal dress with motifs of a colourful bird as the Queen appeared relaxed and happy in her latest portrait.
She is wearing the same Fiona Clare dress in an earlier image released by the Royal Familyon July 14 – three days before her birthday.
In that photo, the King’s wife wasseen cuddling her sweet rescue dog, Jack Russell-cross Moley, in the garden of her Wiltshire home.
Camilla, who often repurposes her outfits for different occasions, also picked the striking maxi dress for the final day of the King and Queen’s state visit to Kenya in 2023.
For her birthday portrait, Camilla opted to keep her makeup light and dewy as she wore a hint of blusher, a light coat of mascara, and a swipe of pink lip gloss.
She also kept her accessories to a minimum, with Camilla opting to wear a stack of rings – including her five-carat engagement ring from King Charles – and a pair of gold earrings.
The release of her birthday portrait comes after Camilla unveiled a newdog garden at the Battersea animal shelter in central London, which was thought to have been originally created this year’s Chelsea Flower Show by broadcaster and gardening expert, Monty Don.
She is wearing the same Fiona Clare dress in an earlier image released by the Royal Family on July 14 – three days before her birthday.
Camilla is pictured in a stylish royal blue dress as she visits Battersea Dogs’ and Cats’ Home on Monday
As she toured the premises of the South West London-based site, Camilla, who lost her beloved Jack Russell rescue Beth last November, made a fuss of the pooches living at the shelter
The outdoor space was designed in collaboration with the RHS and BBC Radio 2 and was gifted to the animal charity to help provide a calming environment for canines.
Camilla fastened a sweet Terrier badge to her chest to honour her visit to the animal shelter, which cares for strays and abandoned pets.
The Queen rescued Jack Russell-cross, Moley, from Battersea earlier this year when she was just eight weeks old.
It’s understood that Moley is a female and was born on Boxing Day and her mother is half Jack Russell, half unknown – while her father’s breed is also unknown.
It’s thought Moley lives at Rat Hill, Queen Camilla’s private Wiltshire residence, although it’s expected she’ll accompany the royal couple when they stay at official royal residences.
The Queen revealed the happy news as she affectionately stroked a guide dog while meeting a partially-sighted museum group in the Beaney House of Art & Knowledge located in the centre of Canterbury’s bustling high street in February.
‘I’ve just got a new puppy, he’s eight-weeks old,’ she told owner Susan Mason, 66, who is partially-sighted.
When Ms Mason asked what breed she is, the Queen laughed and said: ‘You may well ask, a bit of everything. It’s a rescue dog. It’s called Moley – it looks just like a mole.’
She has been patron of Battersea since 2017 and had a tour around the new garden, which has shady spots for pooches to cool down from the sun, along with grass and also sensory elements with the aim of helping them de-stress.
One day before her birthday, Camilla appeared in high spirits as she attended a garden party at HMNB Devonport on Wednesday to honour her new position as Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom.
The royal attended the event in Plymouth, which marked the end of HMS Astute’s first commission – the longest first commission of any Royal Navy submarine in history – at over 15 years.
Camilla – who has become the first female Vice Admiral of the UK – put her best fashion foot forward in a sapphire pleated blue dress which fell elegantly to her ankles and paired the stunning ensemble with her trusty nude and black heels, pearl earrings and a classy gold brooch.
The royal, 77, attended the event in Plymouth, which marked the end of HMS Astute’s first commission, which is the longest first commission of any Royal Navy submarine in history, at over 15 years.
Camilla – who has become the first female Vice Admiral of the UK – put her best fashion foot forward in a sapphire pleated blue dress which fell elegantly to her ankles and paired the stunning ensemble with her trusty nude and black heels, pearl earrings and a classy gold brooch.
Earlier this month, Camilla took her place in the Royal Box at the recently-concluded Wimbledon tennis tournament, when she met British actor Hugh Grant – before he now-famously nodded off mid-match.
