Queen Elizabeth cancels gun salute birthday celebrations amid coronavirus pandemic

Queen Elizabeth will not celebrate her 94th birthday in any special way this year.

It's understood Her Majesty has asked that there be no gun salutes to mark the occasion on April 21, because it would not be appropriate while the country battles a deadly coronavirus outbreak.

Britain is at or near the peak of an outbreak in which more than 14,000 people have already died — the fifth highest national death toll of a pandemic linked to at least 150,000 deaths worldwide.

Ceremonial gun salutes, in which blank rounds are fired from various location across London, are typically used by the royal family to mark special occasions such as anniversaries and birthdays.

The Queen was keen that no special measures were put in place to allow gun salutes as she did not feel it appropriate in the current circumstances, a royal source said.

It is believed to be the first such request in the Queen's 68-year reign.

Britain is in its fourth week of a national lockdown, with businesses forced to close and citizens ordered to stay at home.

Earlier this month, the country's longest-serving monarch made an exceptional address to the nation, promising "Better days will return."

Buckingham Palace last month said a parade to celebrate the Queen's official birthday, which is celebrated in June, would not go ahead in its traditional form in light of restrictions on social gatherings.