Crowds gather for annual Ceremony of the Keys

Hundreds of people gathered in Grand Casemates Square to watch the annual Ceremony of the Keys.
The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, and the Commander British Forces Gibraltar, Commodore Tom Guy, attended the event as the Governor, Lieutenant General Sir Ben Bathurst, performed the historic ceremony.

The Ceremony of the Keys commemorates the Great Siege of Gibraltar in 1779, when French and Spanish forces attempted to capture the Rock. During the siege, the fortress was locked each evening at sunset by the Port Sergeant, who handed the keys to the Governor for safekeeping while sentries were posted outside the walls on the North Front.

In the modern version of the ceremony, the Governor symbolically hands the keys of the fortress to the Port Sergeant at the firing of the sunset gun by Thomson’s Battery of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. The Port Sergeant, accompanied by an armed escort, marches away to symbolically lock the gates before returning the keys to the Governor.

The event is considered a highlight for those taking part, reflecting Gibraltar’s history and tradition.
Music plays a central role in the ceremony, and this year the Band of the Welsh Guards supported the Band of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment under the command of WO1 Andrea Birkett, who composed a special fanfare for the occasion.

Lt Col John Pitto, Commanding Officer of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, said: “It is an honour and a privilege to preside for the first time as Commanding Officer over the Ceremony of the Keys parade, a timeless tradition that symbolises both our heritage and the enduring reassurance of British sovereignty.”

“I am immensely proud of the professionalism and dedication displayed by RSM WO1 Karon Fortunato and Drill Sergeant Major Paul Grech in their meticulous preparation and flawless execution of both the rehearsal and the parade.”

“Their efforts, together with the commitment of all involved, truly reflect the pride, discipline, and excellence of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment.”

WO1 Andrea Birkett, Bandmaster of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment Band, said: “This was my first ceremonial parade in Gibraltar, and I was delighted to be joined by the Band of the Welsh Guards.”

“The programme had a Welsh Guards theme to honour the Governor, and I composed a fanfare entitled Crown and Calpe with an excerpt from the Welsh Guards Regimental March and the Gibraltarian song Llévame Donde Nací.”