A 21-gun salute is the most commonly recognized of the customary gun salutes that are performed by the firing of cannon or artillery as a military honor. As naval customs evolved, 21 guns came to be fired for heads of state, or in exceptional circumstances for heads of government. While the 21-gun salute is the most commonly recognized, the number of rounds fired in any given salute will vary depending on the conditions. Circumstances affecting these variations include the particular occasion and, in the case of military and state funerals, the branch of service, and rank (or office) of the person to whom honors are being rendered, with the number decreasing with the rank.
History
The custom stems from naval tradition in the sixteenth century, when a warship would show its peaceful intent by firing its cannons harmlessly out to sea until its ammunition was depleted. Since cannons then required a considerable time to reload, the ship was effectively disarmed, signifying the lack of hostile intent. In the earliest days, seven guns was the recognized British national salute. The early regulations stated that although a ship would fire only seven guns, the forts ashore would fire three shots to each one shot afloat, hence the number 21.
Odd numbers were chosen, as even numbers indicated a death.
By country Canada
(British) royal family members, as well as foreign heads-of-state, and the Governor General of Canada are given a 21-gun salute.
The prime minister, heads of foreign missions, foreign heads of government, and the Vice President of the United States are entitled to a 19-gun salute.
A 17-gun salute is given to the Canadian Minister of National Defence when visiting a saluting station (limited to once a year), as well as foreign ministers of defence.
Before they were abolished in 1968 by the Trudeau government, royal salutes were fired in Ottawa, the provincial capitals, and Montreal and Vancouver also on the Queen's Accession Day (6 February), the Queen's actual birthday (21 April), the Queen's Coronation Day (2 June), the Birthday of the Duke of Edinburgh (10 June), and the Birthday of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (4 August).
The number of gun salutes for funerals are based on the status of the deceased person.
China 21-gun salutes are fired when welcoming heads of state to China, e.g. presidents, monarchs, governors-general. 19-gun salutes are fired when welcoming heads of government to China, e.g. prime ministers, chancellors, etc.
12-gun salutes are fired in three-volley form every year during commemorations of the repatriation of Chinese People's Volunteers soldiers from South Korea.
The number of gun salutes fired at military parades depends on how many years of a specific event it is commemorating. For example, a 100-gun salute was fired at the CPC Centenary flag raising ceremony in 2021. The gun salute, regardless of how many salvos are fired, is performed during the opening of parades to accompany, since 1999, the march-in of the flag raising party from the Monument of People's Heroes to the national flagpole at the south end of Tiananmen Square.
Denmark
The day after the birth of Princess Benedikte in 1944 which took place during Nazi Germany's Occupation of Denmark, members of the Danish resistance group Holger Danske performed a salute of 21 bombs in the Ørstedsparken public park in central Copenhagen as a reference to the traditional 21-gun salute performed at the occasion of royal births.Peter Øvig Knudsen: Efter drabet (s. 191), forlaget Press, Oslo 2003,
Egypt A 21-gun salute was used during the Parade of the Pharaohs (also called the Golden Parade) on April 3, 2021, when the mummies of Ancient Egyptian pharaohs were transferred to their new museum in Giza. Most of the mummies belonged to the New Kingdom period, which ruled Egypt between 1539 BC to 1075 BC. A 21-gun salute was used during the funeral of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in February 2020. A 21 gun salute was used after President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was sworn in on 8 June 2014. A final 21-gun salute was also fired to honor King Farouk prior to his embarking on the yacht Mahrousa that brought him to exile in Italy in 1952.
France
The 21-gun salute is accorded to the French president, forming part of his "military honors" (honneurs militaires). The salute is given during the inauguration ceremony (by two 75mm guns) and during naval visits. These honors are extended to foreign heads of state during state visits.
India During the British Raj, India developed a formal hierarchical system of gun salutes. At the time of Indian independence in 1947, the hierarchy of salutes within British India stood as follows:
Number of gunsRecipients101(Imperial Salute) The King-Emperor of India31(Royal Salute)The Queen-Empress and the Members of the Royal Family The Viceroy and Governor-General of India21Heads of state Foreign sovereigns and members of their families19Heads of government Governor-General of Portuguese India Ambassadors Commander-in-Chief, India (holding the rank of Field Marshal)17Governors of the Bombay, Madras and Bengal Presidencies Governors of Indian Provinces Governor of French India Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary Commander-in-Chief, India (holding the rank of General) Admirals, Generals and Air Chief Marshals15Lieutenant-Governors of Indian Provinces Plenipotentiaries and Envoys Ministers Resident Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Fleet Flag Officer Commanding Royal Indian Navy (rank of Vice-Admiral) Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Forces in India (rank of Air Marshal) Army Commanders with the rank of Lieutenant-General Vice-Admirals, Lieutenant-Generals and Air Marshals13Chief Commissioners of Indian Provinces Residents (1st Class) Residents (2nd Class) Flag Officer Commanding Royal Indian Navy (rank of Rear-Admiral) Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Forces in India (rank of Air Vice-Marshal) Major Generals commanding Districts Rear-Admirals, Major-Generals and Air Vice-Marshals11Political Agents Consuls-General Chargés d'Affaires Brigade Commanders (including Major-Generals if commanding a Brigade) Commodores, Brigadiers and Air Commodores9Governor of Daman; Governor of Diu (Portuguese India)
Prior to Indian independence in 1947, the Viceroy of India received a unique viceregal salute of 31 guns. After 1947, the 31-gun salute was retained for honouring the Governor-General of India (1947–1950).
In addition, 118 out of the roughly 565 princely states were classified as "salute states". The rulers of salute states were granted gun salutes ranging from 9 guns to 21 guns. This system continued till 1971 when privileges and Privy Purses of ex-rulers were abolished by the Government of India.
Indonesia
In Indonesia, the 21-gun salute is done during state visits of foreign heads of state visiting Indonesia.
The modified 17-gun salute is executed during the commemoration of the precise seconds of the proclamation of the independence of Indonesia on 17 August at 10:00 near the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta. It is also done in other cities in Indonesia during the independence day commemoration ceremonies.
Israel In Israel the practice of gun salute has been eliminated due to the country having "suffered many terror attacks".
Singapore A 21-gun salute is carried out for National Day Parades in Singapore by the Singapore Artillery during the presidential inspection of parade contingents.
In a rare occurrence, the 21-gun salute was given to the former Prime Minister and founding leader Lee Kuan Yew during his state funeral.
South Africa In South Africa, a 21-gun salute is performed as part of the ceremonial honors for the President during the State of the Nation Address. The salute typically takes place following the President's arrival at Parliament and the playing of the national anthem.
Sri Lanka Traditionally, the Sri Lanka Navy accords a 25-gun salute to the nation on the National Day, which is held on 4 February each year. The salute is fired from the ceremonial naval gun battery at Colombo Lighthouse - a tradition inherited from prior British influence. It began with HMCyS Vijaya of the Royal Ceylon Navy, the first warship of the navy according a 25-gun salute on 4 February 1951 with its single 4-inch gun.
Sweden The number of rounds fired in a salute depends on the place and occasion. The so called royal salute is 21 rounds.
Number of guns Recipients21 Nation Head of State Royalty19 Prime minister Reichsmarschall Minister of Foreign Affairs Speaker of the Parliament Swedish Ambassador Minister of Defence Commander in Chief 17 Admiral General Envoyé extraordinaire 15 Vice admiral Chief of Navy Chargé d’affaires en pied13 Rear admiral Chargé d’affaires ad interim11 Rear admiral (lower half), one-star flag officer Consul-general9 Captain7 Consul5 Vice-consul
Authorized saluting stations are: Skeppsholmen, (Stockholm) Kastellholmen, (Stockholm) Kungshall, (Karlskrona) Kungsholms fort, (Karlskrona) Fårösund, (Gotland) Bodens fästning, (Boden) Kusthöjden, (Härnösand) Vaxholms fästning, (Vaxholm) Oskar-Fredriksborg, (Vaxholm) Skansen Lejonet, (Gothenburg) Älvsborgs fästning, (Göteborg)
United Kingdom
The number of rounds fired in a salute depends on the place and occasion. The basic salute is 21 rounds. In Hyde Park and Green Park an extra 20 rounds are added because they are Royal Parks. At the Tower of London 62 rounds are fired on royal anniversaries (the basic 21, plus a further 20 because the Tower is a Royal Palace and Fortress, plus another 21 'for the City of London') and 41 on other occasions. The Tower of London probably holds the record for the most rounds fired in a single salute – 124 were fired when the Duke of Edinburgh's birthday (62 rounds) coincided with the Saturday designated as the Queen's official birthday (also 62 rounds).
On 10 April 2021, a 41-gun salute was fired to mark the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with the timing changed from 1 round every 10 seconds to 1 round every minute, resulting in a total duration of 41 minutes for the salute. When Queen Elizabeth II died, a 96-gun salute was fired to represent the years of her life. Since Charles III acceded to the throne, gun salutes are fired around the country to mark the birthdays of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Authorized military saluting stations are:
in England: Hyde Park, London The Tower of London Royal Arsenal, Woolwich York Museum Gardens The Army station in Colchester Royal Artillery Barracks, Larkhill Royal Citadel, Plymouth Dover Castle His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth
in Scotland: Edinburgh Castle Stirling Castle in Wales: Cardiff in Northern Ireland: Hillsborough Castle Salutes are also fired in Gibraltar.
United States The practice of firing one gun for each state in the union was not officially authorized until 1810, when the United States Department of War declared the number of rounds fired in the "National Salute" to be equivalent to the number of states, which at the time was 17. The tradition continued until 1841 when it was reduced from 26 to 21.
In 1842, the United States declared the 21-gun salute as its "Presidential Salute". While the "National Salute" had been formally established as the 21-gun salute, the current tradition holds the salute on Independence Day to have 50 rounds—one round for each state in the union. This 'Salute to the Nation' is fired at noon on 4 July, on U.S. military installations. The U.S. Navy recognizes Presidents' Day and Memorial Day with a 21-gun salute at noon.