Diamond Jubilee

This year is the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II; her reign started on February 6, 1952.. She is the second longest-reigning monarch in British history, after Queen Victoria, and all she has to do is last four more years to become the longest-reigning. Her precise style has two official versions, one Latin:

Elizabeth II, Dei Gratia Britanniarum Regnorumque Suorum Ceterorum Regina, Consortionis Populorum Princeps, Fidei Defensor

And one English:

Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her Other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith


"God Save the Queen" would seem fitting. The British usually only sing the first and sometimes the third verse, but as is often the case with anthems, the best verse is the one usually left out:

O Lord, our God, arise,

Scatter her enemies,

And make them fall.

Confound their politics,

Frustrate their knavish tricks,

On Thee our hopes we fix,

God save us all.

That's the anthem of a sensible people.