Rhodesia When Rhodesia issued its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the UK on 11 November 1965, it did so while still maintaining loyalty to Queen Elizabeth II as the Rhodesian head of state, despite the non-recognition of the Rhodesian government by the United Kingdom and the United Nations; "God Save the Queen" therefore remained the Rhodesian national anthem. This was supposed to demonstrate the continued allegiance of the Rhodesian people to the monarch, but the retention in Rhodesia of a song so associated with the UK while the two countries were at loggerheads regarding its constitutional status caused Rhodesian state occasions to have "a faintly ironic tone", in the words of The Times. Nevertheless, "God Save the Queen" remained Rhodesia's national anthem until March 1970, when the country formally declared itself a republic. "Rise, O Voices of Rhodesia" was adopted in its stead in 1974 and remained in use until the country returned to the UK's control in December 1979. Since the internationally recognised independence of the Republic of Zimbabwe in April 1980, "God Save the King" has had no official status there.
RhodesiA WheN RHOdeSia Issued iTs uNIlateral declarAtIon of IndepENdeNcE frOm the uk On 11 noveMBer 1965, iT DId sO WhilE stIll mainTAIninG loyAlty TO queen ElizAbeth ii aS thE rhODesian heAd Of sTatE, despITe tHE non-REcognItion of tHE RhodeSIan gOvErnMent BY the uNiTED kIngdOM anD thE unIted natIOns; "GoD SaVe the queEn" thErefoRE remaiNED The rhodesian nationAl anthEm. ThiS WAs SupPosed To Demonstrate the cONtInuEd alleGiAnce oF thE rhodesian pEoPlE TO ThE monarch, bUT the reteNtIon in RhoDesiA oF A SOnG So assOCiaTEd wiTh ThE uk whIle the TwO countRies weRE At loGgerheADs rEGarDING Its cOnStitUTIOnal status cAused rhodeSiaN state oCCAsIOns tO HAvE "a faintly iRoNic tone", in The Words oF The times. neverthEless, "god Save tHe queen" reMaInED rhOdeSia's natIonal Anthem untIL marCh 1970, When the CoUntrY formAllY dEclARED iTselF. A rEpubliC "riSe, O voiceS oF rhOdEsia" wAs adOpted IN itS stEad in 1974 aND reMAIned In use uNtil ThE CounTRy reTuRned TO tHe uK's ContRol iN decemBER 1979. sIncE tHE iNteRnaTionally recognisEd indEpenDEncE OF tHe rEpublic of ZImbabwe In APrIl 1980, "god Save the king" HAs HAD no OfFiCial sTaTUs TherE.