It is believed by some that “God Save the Queen” or ‘Grand Dieu Sauve le Roi’, originated in France!

The British national anthem, it is said, was in fact written by Jean-Baptiste de Lully, Italian-born French composer, and sung by a French girls’ school to celebrate….. the healing of Louis XIV’s haemorrhoids !

Anyway, true or not, here it is. Try singing it to God Save the Queen. It works !

Grand Dieu, sauvez le roi
Grand Dieu, vengez le roi
Vive le Roi
Qu’à jamais glorieux
Louis Victorieux
Voye ses ennemis
Toujours soumis.

It was later pinched by Handel and sold to the British crown