God Save the King (Queen) (in English: God Save the King – or alternatively, depending on the gender of the reigning monarch, God Save the Queen) is the anthem used as the national anthem of the United Kingdom. It is also still the national anthem of other nations that recognise the British monarch as head of state, such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It likewise serves as the anthem for all British Overseas Territories.

Composed by the Baroque composer Thomas Arne, also the author of the renowned patriotic song Rule, Britannia! (see on our website under WoO 79), the anthem was written between 1736 and 1740 and came into official use on 28 September 1744. It remains the oldest national anthem in the world. As with other aspects of the British constitutional system, its status as national anthem is not established by any act of Parliament or royal proclamation, but rather derives from long-standing custom. It is arguably the most famous anthem in the world, having been used throughout all territories of the former British Empire. God Save the Queen functions as the royal anthem, played in the presence of the sovereign or other members of the royal family, or during particular commemorative occasions.

The melody of God Save the Queen was composed by order of George II of Hanover upon his accession to the British throne. As he also held the title of Elector of Hanover, the anthem came to be adopted by the German Confederation as well. In 1871, it was taken up by the German Empire (1871–1918) under Wilhelm II, who used it as the national anthem under the title Heil dir im Siegerkranz (“Hail to Thee in the Victor’s Crown”). It continued in use—though without lyrics—into the Weimar Republic, until 1922, when it was replaced by Das Lied der Deutschen.

At that time, composers were often regarded by monarchs as mere servants; consequently, both the name of the composer and that of the poet remain unknown. Historical and musicological hypotheses have suggested Henry Carey (1687–1743) and John Bull (1562–1628), though the dates do not align with 1745. The official position of the British Government is that the authors are “unknown.”

Together with Rule, Britannia!, the principal theme of the anthem also appears in Wellington’s Victory, Opus 91 (Wellingtons Sieg oder die Schlacht bei Vittoria), in the variations WoO 78, and in the version for voice and chorus with accompaniment of piano trio (piano, violin, and cello), WoO 157 No. 1. It features as well in at least thirteen other classical compositions; in three of these, however, its citation is to be understood as the German anthem, and in one case as the American anthem.

It is worth noting that two of the United Kingdom’s constituent nations—Scotland and Wales—have their own anthems, which are performed during international team sporting events in place of God Save the Queen. Altogether, God Save the King has served as the national anthem for 143 years (1745–1837, 1901–1952), during the reigns of eight male monarchs: George II, George III, George IV, William IV, Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, and George VI. By contrast, God Save the Queen has been in use for a total of 131 years and remains so today (1837–1901; since 1952), although it has been associated with only two queens: Queen Victoria and the present sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II.

By tradition, when the anthem is sung at court, the monarch is exempt from singing, as the anthem is a prayer directed to the sovereign; the consort, however, is expected to sing.

The website www.lvbeethoven.org holds a copy of the anthem dating from approximately the late 18th century or the early years of the 19th century (see the three images below). This particular edition was arranged by the Italian composer G.G. Ferrari (Giacomo Gotifredo Ferrari, Rovereto, 1763 – London, 2 December 1842), who published it after arriving in London from Paris. His autobiography in two volumes, Aneddoti piacevoli e interessanti occorsi nella vita di Giacomo Gotifredo Ferrari da Rovereto (Pleasant and Interesting Anecdotes from the Life of Giacomo Gotifredo Ferrari of Rovereto), published in London in 1830 and dedicated to King George IV, provides insight into this fascinating figure in music history.

Ferrari’s memoirs offer first-hand accounts of numerous significant musical figures, including Franz Joseph Haydn, Muzio Clementi, and Luigi Cherubini, all of whom he greatly admired. He also dedicated moving pages of deep veneration to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whom he described as “the most eminent composer ever to have appeared.”