God can't save Queen from Anzac dumping

The Australian and New Zealand anthems will still be sung at the Melbourne service on April 25. Photo / Peter Meecham

Monarchists are up in arms over a decision to dump God Save the Queen from this year's Anzac Day dawn service in Melbourne after the RSL deemed it no longer relevant.

RSL Victoria chief Major-General David McLachlan said the Anzac Day Commemoration Council had decided to dump the UK anthem after attendees at last year's service concluded it was not relevant.

The Australian and New Zealand anthems will still be sung at the Shrine of Remembrance service on April 25.

Maj-Gen McLachlan said Melbourne was one of the last capital cities to include God Save the Queen in its dawn service.

But Australians for Constitutional Monarchy national convenor Professor David Flint said the song was a traditional part of a special moment of remembrance and many Australians - included returned soldiers - related to it.

"I think it is relevant, it's relevant because it would have certainly been known to the service people, men and women, who served in the Second World War, in Korea and Vietnam," he said.

"It's still our royal anthem, it's part of the tradition for the dawn service, and I don't think that these things should be lightly changed because they're no longer relevant."

- AAP