Next week, General Sir Gordon Messenger will be installed as the 161st Constable of the Tower of London. Ahead of the Constable's Installation, Curator Charles Farris tells us about this historic position.

🔴▶️ Watch Live from the Tower of London, Wed 5th Oct 6.40pm.

🍂 Autumn is upon us 🍂 As we say hello to the new season, we're appreciating all the ways our palaces' gardens change at this time of year.

We're saddened to hear of the death of Dame Hilary Mantel. Her writing brought our palaces, and those who walked their halls, to life for millions of readers.

A fortress, a prison and a royal palace. 🏰 A witness to almost 1000 years of history, as we move forward, the Tower of London stands as a symbol of continuity.

As a mark of respect, all of our six sites will be closed tomorrow (Monday 19 September), the day of the Her Majesty The Queen’s State Funeral.

Please refer to our website for further information fal.cn/3rYAU

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II first visited Northern Ireland as monarch in July 1953, just a month after her coronation. HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh enjoyed a state banquet in the State Dining Room at the castle.

📷 Loder Archive, Historic Royal Palaces

Remembering Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Her Majesty visited the palaces in our care on many occasions.

📷 Hampton Court Palace, 2017
Tower of London, 2014
Hillsborough Castle, 2016
Kensington Palace, 2012

Many tributes have been left at our palaces as a mark of respect following the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. If you would like to bring a tribute there are dedicated areas at all our palaces.

For Hillsborough Castle and Gardens travel: fal.cn/3rMYp
📷 1&4 Northern Ireland Office, Press Eye

Today the Accession Proclamation for the new Sovereign, His Majesty King Charles III, was read at the The Tower of London by the Tower Governor and at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens by the Norroy and Ulster King of Arms.

📷 1 & 4 The Tower of London
📷 2 & 3 Northern Ireland Office Press Eye Hillsborough Castle and Gardens

Today the Tower of London proclaimed the new Sovereign, His Majesty King Charles III. The Tower Governor read the proclamation in several locations around the Tower of London boundary, followed by the Deputy Governor, Chief Yeoman Warder, Yeoman Gaoler and Yeoman Body.

On Fri 9 Sep a 96-round gun salute was fired to mark the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. On Sat 10 Sep a 21-round gun salute was fired to mark the proclamation of His Majesty King Charles III.

📷 Press Eye. Northern Ireland Office
Image 1-2: Fri 9 Sep
Image 3: Sat 10 Sep

To mark the proclamation of His Majesty King Charles III, at 11am BST today HAC Regiment began firing a 62-round gun salute from the @TowerofLondon.

To mark the proclamation of His Majesty King Charles III, at 11am BST today HAC Regiment began firing a 62-round gun salute from the Tower of London.

To mark the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, at 1pm BST today a 96-round gun salute began firing from the The Tower of London and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. One round fired for each year of The Queen's life.

Watch the 96-round gun salute fired by the HAC Regiment today at the Tower of London. One round for each year of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's life.

To mark the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, at 1pm BST today a 96-round gun salute began firing from the Tower of London. One round fired for each year of The Queen's life.

Today our palaces will be closed. Our flags at the The Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens are being flown at half-mast to mark the passing of Her Majesty The Queen.

As a mark of respect, all of our six sites will be closed on Friday 9 September. There will be some changes to our opening hours and programme of events across our sites. Please check our website for more information. hrp.org.uk/faqs/

We join millions of people around the world in mourning the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

Her Majesty was our longest reigning monarch and will be remembered for a remarkable lifetime of service. Our thoughts are with the Royal Family at this time.