Gun salutes have been held in honour of the Queen to mark the official start of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations on the 70th anniversary of her accession.

The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired 41 rounds in London’s Green Park at noon, with The Honourable Artillery Company performing a 62-gun tribute at the Tower of London at 1pm.

A 21-gun salute took place at Edinburgh Castle, part of a series of events this year.

Under royal tradition, gun salutes are not held on a Sunday – which was with the official day of the Queen’s accession – and are therefore held the following day.

Sky’s royal correspondent, Rhiannon Mills, said Accession Day brings mixed feelings for the monarch.

“She’s obviously happy to see the start of the jubilee celebrations, but it’s also the 70th anniversary of the death of her father,” she explained.

70 years on the throne

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Elizabeth II, 95, has become the first British sovereign in history to celebrate 70 years on the throne.

This Jubilee is her first without her beloved husband of 73 years the Duke of Edinburgh, who died 10 months ago.

National celebrations marking the Queen’s record-breaking service on the throne will be staged during a four-day bank holiday weekend from 2-5 June.

Queen Camilla

It follows the Queen using her Platinum Jubilee message to the nation to unexpectedly express her “sincere wish” that the Duchess of Cornwall would become known as Queen Camilla when the Prince of Wales becomes king.

Prince Charles has said he is “deeply conscious of the honour represented by my mother’s wish” for his “darling” wife to be known as Queen Camilla.

A new 50p coin was released on Monday to mark Her Majesty’s 70 years of service to the nation.

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