Viewers react as ‘Rule, Britannia!’ played in original form during ‘Last Night Of The Proms’
that the songs would only feature as instrumentals, after facing criticism over their historic links with colonialism and slavery.However, the BBC confirmed last week that the well-known British anthems would be sung by a select group of vocalists during this year’s event.A reduced orchestra performed the traditional anthems last night (September 12) to an empty Royal Albert Hall due to coronavirus restrictions.In his own score, at the beginning of ‘Rule, Britannia’, Sir Henry Wood wrote: ‘Conductor turn to public’, so as to remind himself to bring in the Prommers behind him! The @BBCSingers don’t need any such reminder! #LNOP pic.twitter.com/Xy9HiVVhEb— BBC Proms (@bbcproms) September 12, 2020The full, uncensored versions of the anthems