What's the deal with the "royal we?"?

Question

As in the quote the Queen supposedly said, "We are not amused." Why does she refer to herself as plural, "we," not "me?" Does she still do this?

Answer 1

Apparently the use of "we" in the Royal family was first used by Henry II to symbolise he was referring to himself and all other kings, or himself and God.   It was only used when a monarch was speaking as the leader of their nation - therefore it is no longer used.

Answer 2

Interestingly, English is not the only language in which a plural pronoun is used to refer to a monarch. Once, when I took German in high school, I read a story in which a king was addressed as "Euer Hoheit"  ("Euer" being a plural word analogous to "your"; "Hoheit" meaning "highness").

Answer 3

Sometimes a person in high authority, as in the quotation cited above, Queen Victoria, uses "we" as a first person plural pronoun instead of the more usual "I" when speaking as a leader of a nation or an institution.  Newspaper editors occasionally use the similar "editorial we".

Actually, Victoria might not have been using the "royal we", but speaking on behalf of herself and all the ladies at Court.

Answer 4

I, My Most Royal Frumpiness, do not employ the use of the Royal "We."  That was my great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, who did that!

I, My Most Royal Frumpiness, employ the term "One."  For example:  "If One were to attend the tea party, One would have to make an early exit."

Answer 5

The present Queen doesn't use that terminology often:Queen Victoria did.It is because,as monarch,the Queen represents not just herself,but all of her dominion--the government and the populace.

Answer 6

I finally understand why Bush calls himself the "decider," and if you are interested, he is referring to himself, in his little boy mind, as a group of immortal warriors.