God Save the King

"God Save the Queen" redirects here. For the Sex Pistols song, see God Save the Queen (Sex Pistols song).

God Save the King

Publication of an early version in The Gentleman's Magazine, October 1745. The title, on the contents page, is given as "God save our lord the king: A new song set for two voices".
National or royal anthem of	Antigua and Barbuda (royal) Australia (royal)    Norfolk Island (national and royal) The Bahamas (royal) Belize (royal) Canada (royal) Grenada (royal) Jamaica (royal) New Zealand (national and royal)    Cook Islands (royal)    Niue (royal)    Tokelau (national and royal) Papua New Guinea (royal) Saint Kitts and Nevis (royal) Saint Lucia (royal) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (royal) Solomon Islands (royal) Tuvalu (royal) United Kingdom (national and royal)     Crown dependencies     British Overseas Territories (national and royal)
Also known as	"God Save the Queen" (when the monarch is female)
Music	unknown
Adopted	September 1745
Music sample
"God Save the King"

"God Save the King" has been the national anthem of the United Kingdom since 1745. Its also the royal anthem of the Commonwealth realms, played alongside their official national anthems. Its composer remains unknown to this date.

When the ruling monarch is a queen instead of a king, the title of the anthem then becomes "God Save the Queen".

The tune for "God Save the King" was used in many countries as a national anthem. Apart from the German state, many of which were linked to Great Britain by marriage, Liechtenstein and Switzerland used the tune. Switzerland changed to a different tune in the 1960s. Liechtenstein still uses the tune.

The tune is both American and British. In the 1930s the United States chose an official anthem. "The Star-Spangled Banner" was chosen instead of the equally popular "My Country 'tis of Thee" which used the "God Save the King" tune.

Lyrics

Standard version

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.

O Lord, our God, arise,

Scatter his enemies,

And make them fall.

Confound their politics,

Frustrate their knavish tricks,

On thee our hopes we fix:

God save us all.

Thy choicest gifts in store,

On him be pleased to pour;

Long may he reign:

May he defend our laws,

And ever give us cause

To sing with heart and voice

God save the King.

Original lyrics: "God Save the King"

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!

Latin verse

O Deus optime

Salvum nunc facito

Regem nostrum

Sic laeta victoria

Comes et gloria

Salvum iam facito

Tu dominum.

French version used in Canada

Que Dieu protège notre gracieux Roi,
Longue vie à notre noble Roi,
Que Dieu protège le Roi !
Rends-le victorieux,
Heureux et glorieux ;
Que soit long son règne sur nous,
Que Dieu protège le Roi !

Māori version used in New Zealand

Me tohu e t'Atua

To matou Kuini pai:

Kia ora ia

Meinga kia maia ia,

Kia hari nui, kia koa,

Kia kuini tonu ia,

Tau tini noa.