It is the first day of the reign of Charles III. Saturday September 10, two days after the announcement of the death of Elizabeth II, her eldest son is officially proclaimed king of the United Kingdom and the other kingdoms of the Commonwealth. The royal anthem will resound throughout the country but beware, the subjects of his majesty will no longer have to sing God Save the Queen but God Save the King. The “national anthem” had to be feminized in 1952 for Elizabeth’s accession to the throne. A song which, according to a theory often relayed and reactivated during the Queen’s Jubilee in June 2022, would have a French origin. But do we really have the proof?
The theory of the anal fistula of Louis XIV
“The British national anthem in its current form dates from the 18th century. The lyrics and melody are anonymous and may date back to the 17th century”, soberly says the official website of the royal family. And if this œwork had been composed in France? After all, the motto of the United Kingdom is well written in the language of Molière: “God is my King”.
This hypothesis of French origin is presented as a historical fact by many information sites which base their argument on the Memories apocrypha of the Marquise de Créquy (written between 1710 and 1803). According to these writings, God Save The Queen would actually be an adaptation of the song Great God Save the King composed in 1686 by none other than Jean-Baptiste Lully to celebrate the healing of King Louis XIV operated on for an anal fistula. It would indeed be Handel, official composer of the English crown, passing through Versailles in 1714 who would have copied the score and had the lyrics translated.
A lack of source
A story that flatters our national pride but which is not based on any historical evidence, regrets Thomas Leconte, researcher at the Baroque Music Center and specialist in royal ceremonial. However, there are interpretations of Great God Save the King quite impressive on Youtube. “That resembles” to the melody of God Save the Kingrecognizes Thomas Leconte “but what are the sources”he asks? “There is no known Lully tune that comes close to God Save The King”. According to him, the French origin of the British royal anthem is “a legend”.
“God Save The King is a patriotic song first performed publicly in London in 1745”, eexplains the site of the British royal family. It was sung at the end of a play to celebrate the victory of Prince Charles (the first) at the famous Battle of Prestonpans. This performance was so successful that the song was later taken up in other theaters to celebrate the monarchs before becoming the official royal anthem. Prior to this date, there is no “printed form” of the melody, continues Thomas Leconte, no trace of a French origin.
No official lyrics
According to the researcher, on the other hand, it is more probable that the text of God Save The King was written under French influence. “At the beginning of the 17th century, Louis XIV asked that religious ceremonies and services end with prayer for the king”. A psalm from the Bible that ends with these words: “Lord, save the king! Answer us when we call on you.” However, adds Thomas Leconte, “Charles II, cousin of Louis XIV, had to take refuge in France [pour échapper aux forces républicaines] and was inspired by him to restore the British monarchy [en 1660].” This Latin prayer could thus have been translated by the Anglican Church until it became a popular song in the 18th century. But, again, this is only a hypothesis.
God Save The King is therefore still today a mysterious hymn. And unlike our Marseillaisethere are no official words, specifies the site of the royal family. “Words are a matter of tradition, verses have been added over the years”. The melody has not moved and has been used by nearly 140 composers such as Beethoven, Haydn and Brahms… Before being taken over by the Sex Pistols in their mythical God Save The Queen.