The National Anthem
The National Anthem of the UK is called ‘God Save the Queen’. This song is very important and is played during special events, especially those attended by the Queen or other members of the Royal Family.
Lyrics
Here is the first verse of the anthem:
God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen!
Citizenship Ceremony
When someone becomes a British citizen, they must show loyalty to the Queen. This is done during a ceremony where they take an Oath of Allegiance or an Affirmation of Allegiance.
Oath of Allegiance
The Oath of Allegiance goes like this:
“I (name) swear by Almighty God that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her Heirs and Successors, according to law.”
Affirmation of Allegiance
The Affirmation of Allegiance is a similar promise but does not mention God:
“I (name) do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her Heirs and Successors, according to law.”
Key Points
- National Anthem: ‘God Save the Queen.’
- Importance: Played at national events.
- Loyalty: New citizens must affirm loyalty to the Queen through an oath or affirmation.
Questions for Practice
Easy Level Questions
- What is the National Anthem of the UK?
- A) God Save the Queen
- B) Rule Britannia
- C) Land of Hope and Glory
- D) Advance Australia Fair
- When is the National Anthem played?
- A) At birthday parties
- B) At national occasions
- C) At school events
- D) At sports matches
- What do new citizens swear loyalty to?
- A) The Prime Minister
- B) The Parliament
- C) The Queen
- D) The Mayor
- How do new citizens show their loyalty?
- A) By singing
- B) By taking an oath
- C) By voting
- D) By writing a letter
- Who is the Queen mentioned in the anthem?
- A) Queen Victoria
- B) Queen Elizabeth I
- C) Queen Elizabeth II
- D) Queen Mary
- What is the first line of the anthem?
- A) God save our noble Queen!
- B) God save our gracious Queen!
- C) Long live our gracious Queen!
- D) God save the Queen!
- What does “Long to reign over us” mean?
- A) We want her to leave
- B) We want her to rule for a long time
- C) We want her to travel
- D) We want her to sing
- The Oath of Allegiance is taken during what ceremony?
- A) Birth ceremony
- B) Wedding ceremony
- C) Citizenship ceremony
- D) Graduation ceremony
- Who are the Heirs and Successors?
- A) The Queen’s Pets
- B) The Queen’s Children and Grandchildren
- C) The Queen’s Friends
- D) The Queen’s Staff
- What does “Almighty God” refer to in the Oath?
- A) A type of music
- B) A book
- C) A supreme being
- D) A historical figure
Medium Level Questions
- What is the purpose of the National Anthem?
- A) To entertain
- B) To celebrate public holidays
- C) To express loyalty to the monarchy
- D) To promote tourism
- Which phrase is used in the anthem to wish for the Queen’s success?
- A) Send her victorious
- B) Long live our noble Queen
- C) God save our gracious Queen
- D) Happy and glorious
- What happens during the citizenship ceremony?
- A) People sing the National Anthem
- B) People take the Oath or Affirmation
- C) People dance
- D) People eat cake
- What does the term “gracious” in the anthem imply?
- A) Kind and generous
- B) Strong and powerful
- C) Wealthy
- D) Old
- How often is the National Anthem sung at events?
- A) Only at Christmas
- B) Rarely
- C) Often, especially at significant events
- D) Never
- What is the difference between the Oath and the Affirmation?
- A) Oath mentions God, Affirmation does not
- B) They are the same
- C) Affirmation is longer than Oath
- D) Oath is for children only
- What does “bear true allegiance” mean?
- A) To tell lies
- B) To be loyal
- C) To be indifferent
- D) To be rude
- During which events might you hear the National Anthem?
- A) At funerals
- B) At sporting events and royal ceremonies
- C) At family gatherings
- D) At school assemblies
- Who is responsible for the National Anthem being played?
- A) The Prime Minister
- B) The BBC
- C) The Queen
- D) The people
- In the context of the anthem, what does “reign” refer to?
- A) To play
- B) To rule or control
- C) To travel
- D) To sing
Hard Level Questions
- What historical significance does the anthem hold?
- A) It was written for a battle
- B) It originated from a song for a king
- C) It has no significance
- D) It was written for a queen’s birthday
- How does the anthem reflect British culture?
- A) It is a modern pop song
- B) It expresses national pride and loyalty
- C) It has no cultural ties
- D) It reflects only London culture
- What is the general sentiment of the anthem?
- A) Sadness
- B) Celebration and hope for the monarchy
- C) Anger
- D) Indifference
- In what year was ‘God Save the Queen’ first adopted as an anthem?
- A) 1745
- B) 1800
- C) 1901
- D) 1952
- What is a common misconception about the anthem?
- A) That it is only sung in England
- B) That it is only for the Queen
- C) That it has multiple verses
- D) That it is not important
- How has the anthem evolved over time?
- A) It has not changed at all
- B) The lyrics have changed based on who is the monarch
- C) It was replaced by another song
- D) It is only sung in schools now
- What role does the National Anthem play in British identity?
- A) It has no role
- B) It promotes unity and national pride
- C) It causes division
- D) It is only for the royal family
- Why might someone take the Affirmation of Allegiance instead of the Oath?
- A) They do not believe in God
- B) They want to be different
- C) They are unsure
- D) They prefer to sing
- What are the implications of the phrase “her Heirs and Successors” in the Oath?
- A) It refers to the Queen’s animals
- B) It includes the future rulers of the monarchy
- C) It is irrelevant
- D) It means old rulers only
- How does the anthem relate to the concept of monarchy in Britain?
- A) It underscores the importance of the monarchy
- B) It opposes monarchy
- C) It is irrelevant to the monarchy
- D) It is only for entertainment
Answers
Easy Level Answers
- A) God Save the Queen
- B) At national occasions
- C) The Queen
- B) By taking an oath
- C) Queen Elizabeth II
- B) God save our gracious Queen!
- B) We want her to rule for a long time
- C) Citizenship ceremony
- B) The Queen’s Children and Grandchildren
- C) A supreme being
Medium Level Answers
- C) To express loyalty to the monarchy
- A) Send her victorious
- B) People take the Oath or Affirmation
- A) Kind and generous
- C) Often, especially at significant events
- A) Oath mentions God, Affirmation does not
- B) To be loyal
- B) At sporting events and royal ceremonies
- C) The Queen
- B) To rule or control
Hard Level Answers
- B) It originated from a song for a king
- B) It expresses national pride and loyalty
- B) Celebration and hope for the monarchy
- A) 1745
- B) That it is only sung in England
- B) The lyrics have changed based on who is the monarch
- B) It promotes unity and national pride
- A) They do not believe in God
- B) It includes the future rulers of the monarchy
- A) It underscores the importance of the monarchy
