Featured Image Credit: BBC
Topics: UK News, News, The Queen, Royal Family
Joe Harker
The lyrics to the UK's national anthem have been officially changed as God Save The King was sung for the first time in over 70 years.
Having been God Save The Queen ever since Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne following the death of her father in 1952, the lyrics have now changed to reflect Charles becoming King.
For many Brits this is the first time they'll have heard the song in its current form, as the late Queen was Britain's longest reigning monarch with seven decades on the throne.
However, with Charles now King and his son William and grandson George next in the line of succession many are grappling with the possibility that they may not hear God Save The Queen sung again in their lifetimes.
With the death of the Queen the crown has passed to Charles, who gave his first address to the nation as head of state and paid tribute to his mother.
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While whole generations of people have been used to God Save The Queen they will now have to get accustomed to the changed lyrics, which look likely to be used for decades to come.
The last time the lyrics to the national anthem changed were when the Queen herself became head of state, succeeding King George VI to begin her 70 year reign.
God Save The King became known as the UK's national anthem at the beginning of the 19th century, and had first been sung in 1745 while George II was on the throne.
The original lyrics were more tailored towards the current King, and went:
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God save great George our King,
God save our noble King,
God save the King!
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
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Long to reign over us,
God save the King!
These lyrics would have worked for the next 85 years as George II was succeeded by his grandson and great grandson, who both took the regnal name of George, but don't fit so well for other monarch's names.
With William IV and then Queen Victoria taking the throne for the rest of the 19th century a change of lyrics was in order and the song was changed to:
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God save our gracious King!
Long live our noble King!
God save the King!
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
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Long to reign over us,
God save the King.
Depending on the gender of the monarch the words 'King' and 'Queen' are changed, as are the pronouns used in the song.
As well as being the UK's national anthem, the song is also the anthem of a number of British crown dependencies and Commonwealth countries.
There are other verses to the national anthem which are usually not sung, including lines about 'rebellious Scots to crush' as back in 1745 Britain was facing the Jacobite rising led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, who supported the restoration of the House of Stuart and his father to the throne.
Had he won and lived to succeed his father, he would have become King Charles III.