Ninety-six rounds were fired across the skies of London today to mark each year of the Queen's remarkable life after she died on Thursday.
The gun salute took place at Hyde Park by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and at the Tower of London by the Honourable Artillery Company at 1pm on Friday.
A procession of 71 horses, 36 pulling First World War-era 13-pounder field guns cantered into Hyde Park in central London ahead of the salute.
Police officers cleared the pathways as the military entourage rode through the south-eastern corner of the park.
The rounds sounded out across the city where thousands of mourners have flocked to pay their respects.
The tradition which dates back to the 15th century is sign of respect and is also often used in military honours and royal special occasions.
The basic salute is 21 rounds, fired at ten second intervals, but in Hyde Park an extra 20 are fired because it is a Royal Park.
At the birth of a royal baby, accession or coronation of the sovereign, 62 guns are fired from the Tower of London.
Earlier this year, the Queen enjoyed an 82 gun salute to mark her 96th birthday and Platinum Jubilee.
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 one round every 10 seconds to one round every minute.
It is thought that the display for the Queen today will be the longest ever gun salute held in the UK.
King Charles is now finalising plans for Her Majesty's funeral, after he announced the UK will observe a week of mourning following the ceremony.
The King and Queen Consort will make their way to London from Balmoral where they said their final farewells last night.
The royal family had rushed from all corners of the globe to be at the monarch's bedside as her health declined on Thursday.
Buckingham Palace issued a sombre statement confirming the Queen's death at 6.30pm and posted an official notice on the Palace gates.
It said: "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
"The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."
A special public service is now set to be held tonight, at St Paul's Cathedral in honour of Her Majesty.
According to ITV Royal Editor Chris Ship, 2,000 seats have been made available for members of the public to use.
They are available on a first come first service basis from the City of London tourism office.
Those wishing to attend the service must visit in the office in person at Carter Lane, EC4M 8BX to collect a wristband from 11am.
The cathedral has been closed today in preparation for tonight's event.
On the evening of the Queen's passing, thousands of mourners flooded the Mall at Buckingham Palace and wept as the news of her death broke.
The teary crowds broke their silence for an impromptu rendition of God Save The King as the new monarch was ushered in.
King Charles described the passing of his mother as the "greatest sadness" as he acceded to the throne.
Torrential downpours scattered the nation, reflecting the sad mood of Brits across the world.
But at Windsor Castle, thought to be the Queen's favourite residence, a rainbow appeared in the skies offering a sign of hope and happiness.
The Queen's funeral is expected to be held at Westminster Abbey, where her body is being repatriated to from Scotland.
The monarch will remain there for three days for royal fans to visit and pay their respects.
It is widely expected that the funeral will take place in around 10 days time, following a procession from Westminster Hall on a state gun carriage.
Members of the royal family are likely to follow on foot as they did at the funerals for Princess Diana and the Duke of Edinburgh.
The unprecedented affair will likely be the biggest security operation the UK has ever seen, as tens of thousands line the streets to say farewell.
Tens of millions more will watch from their televisions around the world.
The Queen visited more than 100 countries in her lifetime and was Britain's longest serving monarch.
Tributes have already flooded in from US President Biden, Prime Minister Liz Truss, and former PM Boris Johnson, as well as other public figures and heads of state around the globe.
