It is a bit of a mess, really. If you ask a random person on a London street corner what the national anthem of england is, they’ll probably belt out "God Save the King" without a second thought. But here is the kicker: England doesn't actually have an official national anthem of its own. Not legally. Not in the way that most sovereign nations do.
While Scotland has "Flower of Scotland" and Wales has "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau" (Land of My Fathers), England just sort of... borrows the UK-wide anthem. It’s a point of contention that flares up every time there’s a major sporting event. You’ve likely seen the debates on social media during the World Cup or the Commonwealth Games. People get genuinely heated about it. Some want "Jerusalem," others want "Land of Hope and Glory," and a few traditionalists are perfectly happy sticking with the status quo.
The history of "God Save the King" (or Queen, depending on who's on the throne) is murky. We don't even know for sure who wrote it. It just sort of appeared in the mid-18th century and stuck. It’s the ultimate "it’ll do" of national symbols.
Why the national anthem of england is a legal ghost
Technically, "God Save the King" is the national anthem of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It isn't specific to England. Because England is the largest constituent country in the UK, the lines get blurred. It’s like how people often say "England" when they actually mean "Britain." It drives the Scots and the Welsh mad, and honestly, it’s a bit confusing for the English too.
There has never been an Act of Parliament officially declaring a specific song as the national anthem of england. It exists through custom and practice. That’s a very British way of doing things. We don't like to write things down if we can avoid it. We prefer "unwritten constitutions" and "tradition."
This creates a weird vacuum at sporting events. If you watch a rugby match between England and Wales at Twickenham, the Welsh fans will roar out their specific national song with a level of passion that borders on the spiritual. Then the English fans stand up and sing the UK anthem. It feels a bit lopsided. It’s like one side is celebrating their specific heritage while the other is just reciting the company policy.
The Contenders: Jerusalem and the battle for the English soul
If England were to finally pick its own song, William Blake’s "Jerusalem" is the heavy favorite. It’s basically the unofficial national anthem already. Set to music by Sir Hubert Parry in 1916, it’s stirring, it’s haunting, and it’s deeply rooted in the English landscape—even if the lyrics are actually about a mythical visit by Jesus to Glastonbury.
But "Jerusalem" isn't without its critics. Some argue it’s too religious or too focused on "dark satanic mills," which feels a bit dated in a post-industrial age. Others point out that Blake was actually a bit of a radical and the poem might be more subversive than people realize. Still, when that organ kicks in at a cricket match or a Women's Institute meeting, it’s hard not to feel something.
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Then you have "Land of Hope and Glory." It’s grand. It’s Victorian. It’s incredibly loud. It’s the centerpiece of the Last Night of the Proms. However, it’s also deeply tied to the height of the British Empire. In a modern, multicultural England, lyrics about "wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set" can feel a bit... awkward. It’s a song about expansionism at a time when England is trying to figure out its place as a medium-sized island nation.
The 1745 problem: Where the song actually came from
The origins of "God Save the King" are a chaotic mix of theater and political panic. The first recorded performance of the melody we recognize today was at the Drury Lane Theatre in London in September 1745. This wasn't a moment of calm national pride. It was a moment of absolute terror.
The "Young Pretender," Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie), had just defeated the army of King George II at the Battle of Prestonpans. The Jacobites were marching south. The Hanoverian establishment in London was terrified they were about to lose their heads. To show support for George II, the theater leader orchestrated a performance of "God Save Great George our King."
It was a hit. Other theaters picked it up. It was a catchy tune that doubled as a political loyalty test.
Crucially, there is a "lost" verse that people often forget. It includes the line:
"Lord grant that Marshal Wade / May by thy mighty aid / Victory bring. / May he sedition hush, / And like a torrent rush, / To rebellious Scots to crush."
You can see why that one doesn't get sung much at the Commonwealth Games. It’s a bit of a vibe killer if you’re trying to maintain the Union. Over time, the song was sanitized. The "crushing Scots" part was dropped, and it became a generic prayer for the monarch’s longevity.
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What the athletes think
I’ve talked to sports fans and looked at interviews with athletes who have to stand there and listen to the national anthem of england (or the lack thereof). Some feel a sense of duty to "God Save the King." It represents the Crown, which is the unifying thread of the UK.
But others feel a disconnect. At the Commonwealth Games, England actually uses "Jerusalem" as its victory anthem. It works. The atmosphere changes. There’s a specific Englishness to it that "God Save the King" lacks. In 2010, the Commonwealth Games England conducted a poll to decide what should be played on the podium. "Jerusalem" won by a landslide, beating out "Land of Hope and Glory" and "God Save the Queen."
Despite this, the senior men's football team remains doggedly committed to the UK anthem. Why? Mostly because change is hard. Any move to change the anthem for the England football team would be seen by some as an attack on the monarchy or a move toward English independence, which is a political minefield no one at the FA wants to walk through.
The "Swing Low" outlier
You can’t talk about English national songs without mentioning "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." It’s the anthem of England Rugby. It’s also incredibly controversial.
It’s an African-American spiritual, likely written by Wallace Willis, a Choctaw freedman, in the 19th century. How did it become a staple of middle-class English rugby fans? Legend has it that a group of schoolboys started singing it at Twickenham in 1988 to cheer on Chris Oti, the first Black player to represent England in 15 years.
In recent years, the RFU has had to do a lot of soul-searching about this. It’s a song born out of the horrors of slavery, being sung by 80,000 mostly white fans who are just having a bit of a laugh. It’s not the national anthem of england, but it’s a massive part of the English sporting identity. It highlights the weird, patchwork nature of how England expresses its identity through music. We don't have one official song; we have a playlist of complicated, borrowed, and often misunderstood tunes.
A question of identity
The push for a specific English anthem is really a push for English identity. For a long time, "British" and "English" were used interchangeably. But as Scotland and Wales have gained more devolved power and a stronger sense of individual national pride, England is left wondering who it is when it’s not being the "boss" of the UK.
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"God Save the King" is a song about a person—the monarch. It isn't a song about the land, the people, or the culture. This is why people gravitate toward "Jerusalem" or even "I Vow to Thee, My Country." They want something that describes the rolling hills of the Cotswolds or the grit of Manchester, not just a plea for a long-lived sovereign.
How to navigate the anthem debate yourself
If you're attending an event or just curious about how this plays out in real life, here is how the "anthem hierarchy" currently works in the UK:
- State Occasions (Weddings, Funerals): It’s always "God Save the King." No exceptions.
- England Football/Rugby (Men’s): "God Save the King" is the standard. You’ll hear it before every kickoff.
- The Commonwealth Games: This is where you’ll hear "Jerusalem." It’s the one time England truly acts as an independent sporting nation with its own song.
- Cricket: England often uses "Jerusalem" as a team anthem, though "God Save the King" might still appear for official ceremonies.
- Political Rallies: You’ll hear a mix. Far-right groups often co-opt "Land of Hope and Glory," while more centrist or left-wing "Englishness" tends to lean toward "Jerusalem."
The reality is that "God Save the King" is likely staying put for the foreseeable future. The British establishment hates change. They view the anthem as a "glue" that holds the four nations together. Replacing it for England specifically feels like a step toward breaking up the UK.
However, the conversation isn't going away. Every time a new generation of fans takes over the stands, the question is asked again: "Why are we singing about the King when we're playing a game of football?"
Moving forward: What you can do
If you want to understand the heart of this issue, don't just read the lyrics. Listen to the performances.
- Watch the 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony: It’s a masterclass in how English and British identities are woven together.
- Listen to a recording of "Jerusalem" at the Royal Albert Hall: Feel the vibration. That is the closest you will get to a "true" English anthem.
- Check out the lyrics to "I Vow to Thee, My Country": It’s often used as an alternative, but it’s technically a hymn about two kingdoms—one earthly and one heavenly.
- Pay attention to the 6 Nations: Watch how the different anthems affect the players. You can see the emotional difference between a song about a country and a song about a ruler.
Ultimately, the national anthem of england is whatever the people decide to sing in the moment. For now, it’s a royal prayer. In the future? It might just be a poem about a man walking through the green mountains of Somerset. Either way, it remains one of the most interesting identity crises in modern music.
Practical Next Steps
If you are interested in the cultural history of England, look into the works of Billy Bragg, who has written extensively about English identity and the need for a modern, progressive anthem. You can also research the Anthem4England campaign, which has been lobbying for a formal change for years. Understanding the distinction between "Britishness" and "Englishness" is key to navigating the social landscape of the UK today. Check out the latest debates in the UK Parliament archives regarding a "National Anthem for England" bill—yes, it has been proposed several times, though it rarely makes it past the first reading. Reading the transcripts of those debates gives a fascinating insight into how politicians view the concept of "Englishness" versus "Britishness."