Politics
What time do the Minute Guns fire at Prince Philip’s funeral?
THE funeral of Prince Philip takes place at Windsor Castle on Saturday, and the service will have a strong military presence to honour the Duke’s connection to the armed forces.
But what time will the Minute Guns fire at the funeral? Here is everything you need to know.
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What time do the Minute Guns fire at Prince Philip’s funeral?
Pall bearers will bring the Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin to the State Entrance of Windsor Castle, where it will then be loaded onto the back of a Land Rover that the Duke had specifically designed himself.
Members of the Royal Family will take up their positions next to the Land Rover for the start of the procession at 2.41pm, at which point Minute Guns will be fired by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
The guns will be fired from the East Lawn and will continue for the duration of the procession until the coffin reaches St George’s Chapel at 2.53pm.
What is the meaning behind the Minute Guns fire?
Minute Guns are traditionally discharged at military funeral ceremonies and involve a cannon or artillery being fired at intervals of a minute.
The salute is a mark of respect for Prince Philip, who joined the Royal Navy in 1939 at the age of 18. The Duke served in the Mediterranean and British Pacific fleets during the Second World War.
His Royal Highness held the rank of Admiral of the Fleet, the highest rank in the Royal Navy. He also held the highest rank in the British Army and the Royal Air Force.
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Who are the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery?
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery is a ceremonial unit of the British Army and is responsible for the firing of royal salutes on royal and state occasions.
The unit was set up in 1946 by King George VI, who decided that a selection of horse artillery should be retained for the great ceremonies of state. The unit also has an operational capacity in the territorial defence of the United Kingdom.
The King’s Troop has appeared at Trooping the Colour every year since 1997. In the same year, the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales was transported on a gun carriage by members of the King’s Troop.
