The honours music for a person, office or rank is music played on formal or ceremonial occasions in the presence of the person, office-holder, or rank-holder, especially by a military band. The head of state in many countries is honored with a prescribed piece of music; in some countries the national anthem serves this purpose, while others have a separate royal anthem or presidential anthem. Lesser officials may also have anthems, such as the vice-regal salute in several Commonwealth realms for the Governor-General. The term honors music is used by government protocol offices in the United States, especially in the United States Department of Defense.
Ruffles and flourishes may be played instead of, or preceding, honours music.
Countries where the national anthem is also the royal anthem include Malaysia,[1] the Netherlands,[2] New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
Country | Office/rank | Music | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Australia | Monarch | "God Save the Queen"[3] | |
Australia | Other Royal Family members | God Save the Queen | First six bars only. |
Australia | Governor-General, Governors | Vice-regal salute[3] | The first and last four bars of "Advance Australia Fair", the national anthem.[3] |
Brazil | President | continências ao Presidente da República | Introduction and final chords of the Brazilian National Anthem. Only applicable at military ceremonies.[4] |
Canada | Monarch, consort | "God Save the Queen"[5] | For a pipe band, "Mallorca" is played instead. |
Canada | Other Royal Family members | The first six bars of "God Save the Queen"[5]. | For a pipe band, "Mallorca" is played instead. |
Canada | Governor General, Lieutenant-Governors | "Salute to the Governor General / Lieutenant Governor", commonly called the Vice Regal Salute | The first six bars of "God Save The Queen" immediately followed by the first four and last four bars of "O Canada", the national anthem. For a pipe band, a combination of "Mallorca" and "O Canada" is played instead.[5] |
Denmark | Monarch | "Kong Christian stod ved højen mast" | "King Christian stood by the lofty mast" |
Finland | Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Defence Forces (normally President) | "Porilaisten marssi" | "March of the people from Pori" |
Haiti | President | "Chant Nationale" | "National Song". Poem by Oswald Durand, set to music by Occide Jeanty in 1893 to serve as a national anthem; replaced by "La Dessalinienne" in 1904.[6] |
Ireland | President | Presidential Salute | The first four and last five bars of "Amhrán na bhFiann", the national anthem[7] |
Ireland | Taoiseach | "Amhrán Dóchais" | "Song of Hope". Words by Osborn Bergin, to a traditional air arranged by Aloys Fleischmann.[8] |
Luxembourg | Monarch | "Wilhelmus" (Zwé Kinnégskanner) | A variant of "Het Wilhelmus", the national and royal anthem of the Netherlands |
Malaysia | Raja Permaisuri Agong; Yang di-Pertua Negeri | abridged version of the National Anthem | Consisting of first and last sections.[1] Played before the relevant state's anthem[1] if the salute is for the Yang di-Pertua Negeri. |
Malaysia | State monarchs | short version of the National Anthem | Consisting of last section. Played after the relevant state's anthem.[1] |
Netherlands | Members of the Royal House; Governor of the Netherlands Antilles and Governor of Aruba | "Het Wilhelmus" | The national anthem.[2] |
Netherlands | Various officials not entitled to "Het Wilhelmus".[fn 1] | "De Jonge Prins van Friesland" [2] | Ministers used the national anthem till Queen Beatrix objected in 1986.[9] |
New Zealand | Monarch | "God Save the Queen"[10] | Also one of two national anthems, the other being "God Defend New Zealand"[10] |
New Zealand | Governor General | Salute to the Governor General | The first six bars of "God Save the Queen"[11] The anthem may also be played in full.[10] |
Norway | Monarch | "Kongesangen" | "The King's Song"; an adaptation of "God Save the Queen" and set to the same tune. |
Philippines | President | "Mabuhay"[12] | The word mabuhay means "long live". The music is by Tito Cruz, Jr.[13] |
Sweden | Monarch | "Kungssången" | "The King's Song" |
Thailand | Monarch, Crown Prince | "Phleng Sansoen Phra Barami" | "The song of glorifying His Majesty's prestige" |
Thailand | Upper-ranking royal members | "Maha Chai" | "Grand Victory." It may be also used for the Prime Minister in very formal situations. |
Thailand | Lower-ranking royal members | "Maha Roek" | "Grand Auspice." It may be also used for governors ranking below the Prime Minister in very formal situations. |
United States | President | "Hail to the Chief"[14] | |
United States | Vice President | "Hail Columbia"[14] | |
United States | Various officials[fn 2] | Honors March 1 | 32-bar medley of "Stars and Stripes Forever"[14] |
United States | Army officers ranked major general and higher | "General's March"[14] | Honors March 2 |
United States | Navy officers ranked rear admiral and higher | "Admiral's March"[14] | Honors March 3 |
United States | Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard officers ranked major general and higher | "Flag Officer's March"[14] | Honors March 4 |
From the nineteenth century, a new Ottoman imperial anthem was usually composed for each Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
Country | Office | Anthem | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Principality of Albania/Albanian Kingdom | Monarch | "Himni i Flamurit" ("Hymn to the Flag") |
The royal anthem until the abolition of the monarchy in 1943, now the national anthem. |
Austrian Empire/Austria-Hungary | Monarch | "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" ("God Save Emperor Francis") |
Used with updated words for later Emperors until the abolition of the monarchy in 1918. |
Kingdom of Bulgaria | Monarch | "Anthem of His Majesty the Tsar" | Royal anthem until 1944. |
Empire of China (Qing dynasty) | Monarch |
|
|
Empire of China (1915–1916) | Emperor Yuan Shikai | "Zhong guo xiong li yu zhou jian" ("中國雄立宇宙間"; "China Heroically Stands in the Universe") |
|
Ethiopian Empire | House of Solomon | "Ityopp'ya Hoy" "Ethiopia be happy" |
|
Kingdom of Egypt | Muhammad Ali Dynasty | "Salam Affandina" "Royal Anthem of Egypt" |
|
Kingdom of France (c.1590-1789 & 1815-1848) | King of France and Navarre | "Marche Henri IV" ("Henry IV March") |
"Vive la France, Vive le roi Henri" until 1789, "Vive le princes, et le bon roi Louis" after 1815 |
Kingdom of France (1791–1792) | King of France and Navarre | "La Nation, la Loi, le Roi" ("The Nation, the Law, the King") |
|
First French Empire (1804–1815) | Napoleon I, Napoleon II | "Chant du Départ" ("Song of the Departure") |
"Chant du Départ" until 1815, |
Second French Empire (1852–1870) | Napoleon III | "Partant pour la Syrie" ("Departing for Syria") |
|
Kingdom of Greece | Monarch | "Ὕμνος εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν" ("Hymn to Liberty") |
The royal anthem until the abolition of the monarchy in 1974, now the national anthem. |
Kingdom of Hawaii | Monarch |
|
|
Iran (Qajar) | Shah | "Salamati-ye Shah" "Health of the Shah" |
|
Iran (Pahlavi) | Shah | "Sorood-e Shahanshahi Iran" "Imperial Salute of Iran" |
|
Principality of Serbia/Kingdom of Serbia | Monarch | "Bože pravde" ("Lord of Justice") |
An earlier version of the current national anthem glorifying the Prince/King. |
Principality of Montenegro/Kingdom of Montenegro | Monarch | "Ubavoj nam Crnoj Gori" ("To Our Beautiful Montenegro") |
Glorifies the Prince/King. |
Prussia/German Empire | King of Prussia/German Emperor | "Heil dir im Siegerkranz" ("Hail to Thee in Victor's Crown") |
|
Russian Empire | Monarch | "Боже, Царя храни" ("God Save The Tsar!") |
The national anthem until the abolition of monarchy—still used by some descendants of white émigrés. |
Sweden | Gustav III | "Gustafs skål" ("Toast to Gustaf") |
|
Kingdom of Yugoslavia | Monarch | "National Anthem of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia" ("Toast to Gustaf") |