GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

I was Honorary Aide-de-Camp from the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force at Government House, on Her Majesty's last visit to the Colony. I was posted with the crew to accompany her to Shatin for the Queen's Cup Race, and I was able to watch her in close quarters.  I was awed by her regal presence, my first and most likely last encounter with a reigning monarch.  Did you watch the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, especially the Flotilla of Thousand Boats on The Thames?  Did you notice she was on her feet for 3-4 hours, in typical London elements?  How did she manage, at 86?  

God Save the Queen .... the National Anthem.  I always wonder why it is not God Save(s) the Queen but I guess the one upstairs has to be 1st person singular, always.  I was in 3 different official occasions when it was played, or sung.  First; when I was at St. Paul's when a member of the royal family paid a visit, I was singing it with the chorale.  Second; when Prince Charles presented a new Military Standard to the RHKAAF, I was the Uncasing Officer ie I removed the Standard aka flag in laymen terms, from its case, for the first time, before the Prince. Third; at the Queen's visit.  We were taught to stand at attention, and salute if in uniform.  I wanted to do exactly that throughout the weekend, whenever the National Anthem was played.    

God Save Our Gracious Queen, Long Live Our Noble Queen
God Save the Queen
Send Her Victorious, Happy and Glorious, Long to Reign Over Us
God Save the Queen

Indeed, may she live a long life, and may she continue to reign ....