Queen’s birthday will not be marked by gun salutes ‘for first time’ due to coronavirus pandemic

It is believed this will be the first time a gun salute has not taken place for the monarch’s birthday

The Queen’s birthday will not be marked with a traditional gun salute due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

On Tuesday 21 April, Queen Elizabeth II will turn 94 years old.

It is customary for the monarch’s birthday to be commemorated with a royal gun salute.

However this year, given the impact the Covid-19 outbreak is having across the globe, the monarch is said to have decided against the tradition.

A Buckingham Palace source informed The Independent that the Queen did not want any special measures to be taken to allow a gun salute to be held as she did not feel it was appropriate at the present time.

It is believed this is the first time in the Queen’s 68-year reign that her birthday will not be marked with a gun salute.

In a statement sent to The Independent, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) confirmed that “following consultation with key stakeholders, ceremonial gunfire from all saluting stations is temporarily suspended due to national Covid-19 restrictions”.

“The will last at least four weeks [until 18 May] and will be regularly reviewed,” MOD stated.

In addition to the Queen’s birthday not being celebrated in any special way, it is reported that any calls between the monarch and her family on her birthday will remain private.

On 27 March, the Palace released a statement saying that “in line with Government advice, it has been agreed that the Queen’s Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Colour, will not go ahead in its traditional form.”

“A number of other options are being considered, in line with relevant guidance,” the statement added.

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, who is married to the Queen’s youngest son Prince Edward, has been helping to prepare food and care parcels for NHS workers at her local hospital.

The official Instagram account for the royal family shared photographs of the countess preparing the packages for healthcare staff at Frimley Park hospital in Surrey.

Princess Sofia of Sweden is currently working in one of the country’s hospitals as a healthcare assistant.

The royal is helping staff on the frontline at the Sophiahemmet hospital after completing a three-day medical course at Sophiahemmet University College, where she is an honorary chair member.