God Bless the Prince of Wales

"God Bless the Prince of Wales" (Welsh: Ar Dywysog Gwlad y Bryniau) is a royalist song. It was written to mark the occasion of the marriage of the then Prince of Wales, future King Edward VII to Alexandra of Denmark in 1863.^[1] The song was first performed at the Caernarfon Eisteddfod of 1862.^{[citation needed]}

Text

The words were written by the poet John Ceiriog Hughes and the music by Henry Brinley Richards.^[1] The English words are by George Linley. The song was completed and performed in 1863.

Ar D'wysog gwlad y bryniau,
O boed i'r nefoedd wen,
Roi iddo gyda choron,
Ei bendith ar ei ben!

Pan syrthio'r aur wialen,
Pan elo un i'r nef,
Y nef a ddalio i fyny
Ei law frenhinol ef!

Among our ancient mountains,
And from our lovely vales,
Oh! Let the prayer re-echo
God bless the Prince of Wales!

With hearts and voice awaken
Those minstrel strains of yore,
Till Britain's name and glory,
Resounds from shore to shore.

Melody

$\header { tagline = ##f } \layout { indent = 0 \context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" } } global = { \key bes \major \time 4/4 \partial 4 } soprano = \relative bes' { \global f4 | d'4. f8 es4 d | d2 c4 c | bes4. d8 c4 bes | a2. f4 | f'4. d8 bes4 a | g g2 es'4 | d4. bes8 c4. bes8 bes2. \bar "|." } alto = \relative c' { \global f4 | f4. f8 f4 f | f2 f4 es | d4. d8 e4 e | f2. f4 | f4. f8 f4 fis | g g2 g4 f4. d8 es4. es8 | d2. \bar "|." } tenor = \relative c { \global f4 | bes4. d8 c4 bes | bes2 a4 a | g4. bes8 c4 c | c2. a4 | bes4. bes8 bes4 c | bes bes2 c4 bes4. bes8 a4. a8 | bes2. \bar "|." } bass = \relative c { \global f4 | bes4. d8 c4 bes | f2 f4 fis | g4. g8 c,4 c | f2. es4 | d4. d8 d4 d | es es2 c4 | f4. f8 f4. f8 | bes,2. \bar "|." } verse = \lyricmode { A -- mong our an -- cient moun -- tains, and from our love -- ly vales, Oh! Let the pray'r re- -- e -- cho God bless the Prince of Wales! } Welsh = \lyricmode { Ar D'wy -- sog gwlad y bryn -- iau, o, boed i'r ne -- foedd wen, roi id -- do gy -- da cho -- ron, ei ben -- dith ar ei ben! } \score { \new ChoirStaff << \new Staff \with { midiInstrument = "brass section" } << \new Voice = "soprano" { \voiceOne \soprano } \new Voice = "alto" { \voiceTwo \alto } >> \new Lyrics \with { \override VerticalAxisGroup #'staff-affinity = #CENTER } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" \Welsh \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" \verse \new Staff \with { midiInstrument = "brass section" } << \clef bass \new Voice = "tenor" { \voiceOne \tenor } \new Voice = "bass" { \voiceTwo \bass } >> >> \layout { } \midi { \tempo 4=102 } }$

Source^[2]

In parts of Scotland and Ireland the tune is used to sing "Derry's Walls", a unionist song. The Australian composer and author Andrew Ford noted that the last line of the Australian national anthem, "Advance Australia Fair", is identical to the final line of this song.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b Stephens, Meic (1998). The New Companion to the Literature of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 266. ISBN 9780708313831 – via Internet Archive.
^ "God Bless the Prince of Wales", Allan's Part Songs – via Trove
^ Ford, Andrew (October 2016). "National anthems reflect all the complexities – and oddities – of the countries they represent". The Monthly. Retrieved 25 July 2025.

[Stephens-1] Stephens, Meic (1998). The New Companion to the Literature of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 266. ISBN 9780708313831 – via Internet Archive.

[2] "God Bless the Prince of Wales", Allan's Part Songs – via Trove

[3] Ford, Andrew (October 2016). "National anthems reflect all the complexities – and oddities – of the countries they represent". The Monthly. Retrieved 25 July 2025.

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