Why do people get a 41-gun salute?
Question
Barack Obama had a 41-gun salute in his honour. Who decides how many guns a dignitary gets and what do the number of guns mean?Martin, Richmond
Answer
** Definitive **
Name: Steve, Bexley
Qualification: Trivia that I happen to know
Answer: The standard Royal salute is 21-guns and is reserved for Heads of State. When the salute is given from a Royal Park, an extra 20 guns is added, hence the 41-gun salute. There is also a 124-gun salute, which is when the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh’s birthdays occur on the same weekend and is given from the Tower of London. It’s 21-guns, plus 20 for being from a Royal Fortress, plus 21 for it being the city of London. That’s 62 guns each.
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