God Save the Queen

: This article is on the British patriotic anthem. For the Sex Pistols song, see God Save the Queen (Sex Pistols song).

Other UK anthems

Frequently, when an anthem is needed for one of the component countries of the UK — at an international sporting event, for instance — an alternate song is used:

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• Wales has its own recognised anthem in Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land of My Fathers);
• Scotland uses either Flower of Scotland or Scotland the Brave, or traditionally Scots Wha Hae;
• England generally uses God Save the Queen, but has used Jerusalem or Land of Hope and Glory.
• Northern Ireland generally uses God Save the Queen at events rooted in the British tradition, and the Irish national anthem Amhrán na bhFiann at events rooted in the Irish tradition. Additionally, Londonderry Air is a popular cross-community anthem.
• In international football matches England and Northern Ireland use God Save the Queen while Scotland uses Flower of Scotland, and Wales uses Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.
• In international rugby matches England uses God Save the Queen while Scotland uses Flower of Scotland and Wales uses Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. Ireland (a team representing both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) sing Ireland's Call, a song which attempts to unite the two traditions on the island.
• Recently the British and Irish Lions rugby union tour used the song The Power of Four but this anthem was especially designed for the tour and will likely not be used again, perhaps because most of the players did not know the anthem. There is actually no anthem for the British Isles as the term includes the Republic of Ireland which does not have Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state.