What will the national anthem be when Charles III is proclaimed King?
4 February 2022, 08:26 | Updated: 19 September 2022, 09:00
‘God Save the King’, sung by soprano Alexandra Stevenson
When Charles III is proclaimed King, Britain and the Commonwealth will no longer sing ‘God Save the Queen’.
Following the death of our beloved monarch, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the British and Commonwealth anthem has reverted to its male version, which was used before she ascended to the throne.
It goes as follows:
God save our gracious King!
Long live our noble King!
God save the King!
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the King.
This version hasn’t been used as an anthem since 1952, when the Queen’s father George VI died and she acceded to the throne.
Read more: What are the lyrics and history to ‘God Save the King’?
Who composed ‘God Save the King/Queen’?
The composer of the UK and Commonwealth national anthem is unknown. It was adopted as an anthem in September 1745, during the reign of George II (1727 – 1760).
Read more: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s contribution to classical music
God Save the Queen in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle
Has ‘God save the King/Queen’ always been the UK’s national anthem?
When ‘God Save the King’ was adopted in 1745, the lyrics were:
God save great George our king,
God save our noble king,
God save the king!
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the king!
However, the third and fourth words were soon changed to ‘gracious’ after they realised that William IV and Victoria’s names (who succeeded George IV) didn’t scan.
Charles appears moved as MPs sing God Save The King in Westminster Hall
Which countries sing God Save the King/Queen?
‘God Save the Queen’ or ‘God Save the King’ is the national anthem in the UK, British Crown dependencies, a number of Commonwealth realms and their territories.
