A rewritten version of the UK National Anthem will be performed later this year in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
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Lyricist Roger Brooks has received an acknowledgement from Buckingham Palace upon receipt of his updated anthem, which begins with the words: “And now we celebrate/Six dutiful decades/God save the Queen.”
Brooks says he changed the lyrics to the original God Save the Queen song because he wanted to emphasise what a “marvellous job” the monarch has done throughout her 60-year reign.
He told BBC News: “I thought we ought to mark the special occasion with special words.
“I noticed over the years that people were reluctant to give full voice to the National Anthem.
“There is nothing reflecting the marvellous job the Queen has done, and so I’ve written words to show her how we all feel.
“If they help to reinvigorate it then I’m delighted to have helped.”
Brooks sing his composition today as part of the 80-strong Voice Community Choir, who will be dressed in the patriotic colours of red, white and blue when they perform the rewritten version of the iconic tune for the first time in Bournemouth.
