THEY have honoured and celebrated her for more than half a century but the Girl Guides have voted to cut ties with the Queen - and God.

Promising to serve God and the Queen and pledging obedience have been ruled old-fashioned and out of step with modern Australian life by junior and senior Guides.

Australia's 28,000 Guides will instead vow to serve their community and country and "live with courage and strength".

The change to the Guiding Promise and Guide Law begins in units across the country from today.

Belinda Allen, the State Commissioner for Girl Guides NSW/ACT, said it was up to her 10,000 members to decide if the Queen's photograph is removed from inside Guide Halls.

"Whether they take down pictures of the Queen or keep them in the halls is totally up to the girls in the unit. They may decide they still like to have pictures of the Queen around but the world has changed and we have to move on."

About one million Australian women have been part of the Guiding Movement since it began in 1910. The review of the wording has been under way for two years and involved a survey of all members.

"The Queen is much loved by many Guides, as she is by much of the population, and we all absolutely admire her in her Jubilee year but our community comes from many different backgrounds," Mrs Allen said.

"She is not part of the (Australian) citizenship pledge and being responsible to one's community is one of the essences of Guiding."

The Australian Scouting movement made pledging to do their duty to the Queen optional in 2001 but retained God in their Promise.

Originally published as Girl guides say tough bikkies to God, Queen