Long live the wings! Soldier ushers ducks away from line of fire as gun salute marks three years since King Charles's coronation

By FRANCINE WOLFISZ, NEWS REPORTER Published: 02:05, 7 May 2026 | Updated: 02:06, 7 May 2026 It was a moment that could have seriously ruffled some feathers. But soldiers from The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery were prepared to take that risk in the name of saving a Mallard duck and her six ducklings which had waddled too close towards an impending gun salute. No less than 41 guns were being prepared to mark the third anniversary of King Charles III's and Queen Camilla's Coronation in Hyde Park, London, on Wednesday.  Duck and cover: Kindly soldiers usher the Mallard duck and her ducklings away from the impending gun salute in Hyde Park The ducks waddled close to where a special Royal Salute was being fired to mark King Charles' third anniversary since becoming King Quaking performance: The special gun salute took place in Hyde Park, London But first the ducks had to be gently ushered away from the area to ensure their safety. At midday, The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired a Royal Salute, followed by The Honourable Artillery Company under the watchful eye of Princess Anne. Both regiments also took part in the Coronation Day salutes in 2023, firing at the exact moment the Crown was placed on The King's head at Westminster Abbey. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.