The letter by Edward P. Tagliaferro spurred me to fill him in with the rest of the song (or most of it) and the date of the event, which I believe was May 3, 1953. Unfortunately, I do not know the author of the music/lyrics.
I too was present on the Granaries with the pupils from St Joseph’s Convent, Sliema. It was a memorable day and I cannot forget the sight of the Granaries bursting at the seams with schoolchildren from Malta and Gozo, singing and waving Maltese and British flags.
Queen Elisabeth II, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, was constantly waving to all of us while going round the Granaries in a jeep.
I must add that I remember the song (and the tune) from memory.
True is the song of the bird
And sweet is the gift of the rose
But truer and sweeter the love/song (?)
That binds our hearts to thee.
From the hearts of the children who meet
This day our sovereign to greet.
Hail Queen Hail
God’s blessings with thee be.
Nothing shall ever prevail
To sunder our hearts from thee.
From the hearts of the children who meet
This day our sovereign to greet.