"Rule, Britannia!" is a British patriotic song, originating from the poem "Rule, Britannia" by James Thomson and set to music by Thomas Arne in 1740. It is most famously known as the finale of Arne's masque "Alfred". The song is strongly associated with the Royal Navy and has become an iconic symbol of British national identity and maritime power. The phrase "Rule, Britannia! Britannia rule the waves" expresses a sentiment of British naval supremacy and independence.