BBC may cut Queen's birthday song

Buckingham Palace describes itself as "saddened" by the move

The National Anthem may not be played by BBC Radio 4 on the Queen's official birthday in June, for the first time in her 46-year reign, as part of a decision by the station to review the number of royal birthdays it marks.

The possible change is part of a decision by the station to consider whether the playing of the anthem should mark only "significant" royal birthdays. Buckingham Palace said such a change would be "sad".

The Queen celebrates two birthdays: an actual birthday, like any other person, and an official birthday.

The BBC's review to reduce the use of the National Anthem had its first impact on the Queen's actual 72nd birthday on April 21. The anthem was played only once, instead of twice, by Radio 4.

Royal birthdays may be judged on their significance

In the past, the station has played the anthem twice on the actual and official birthdays of the Queen, and the birthdays of the Queen Mother, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales.

It has yet to be decided whether the Queen's official birthday, celebrated on the first Saturday in June, and the Queen Mother's 98th birthday in August, will be marked by the traditional Radio 4 early morning playing of the anthem, a BBC spokesman said.

The spokesman said the change was the subject of continuing review and did not reflect a move in overall BBC policy in relation to the Royal Family.

"Radio 4 has been through a huge review process and this is one of the things that was looked at as part of that," she said.

"We decided that we will mark significant birthdays in future, but the decision on which birthdays are significant will be taken later."

It now seems likely that Prince Charles's 50th birthday in November would be regarded as significant, but not Prince Philip's 77th in June.

A decision on the Queen Mother's 98th birthday on August 4 will be taken nearer the time, the spokesman said.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said it had been informed of the move and hoped the number of times the anthem was played would not be cut.

"We are aware of what the BBC have suggested. If they reduce the marking of birthdays it is sad, but we await the final results of their review," said the spokesman.