Royal Quotes (famous ones and/or great ones)

[LadyK]

The Queen Mum had a backbone of steel, but she also had a great funny bone!!!

 

[Sister Morphine]

Some quotes from George V, who much like his wife, was very witty.


"After I am dead the boy will ruin himself in 12 months." (about Edward the VIII)

"I pray to God that my eldest son Edward will never marry and have children, and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne." (about George VI and Queen Elizabeth II)

"You dress like a cad. You act like a cad. You are a cad." (to his son, Prince Edward)

"I may be uninspiring, but I'll be damned if I'm alien." (Said in response to H. G. Wells's criticism of his "alien [i.e. German-descended] and uninspiring court")

"Always go to the bathroom when you have a chance.

 

[Elsa M.]

Qu’ils mangent de la brioche! ("Let them eat bread rolls!") - Marie Antoinette (*1755 +1793), Queen of France.

Marie Antoinette is reported to have said this famous sentence, when told the people had no bread.

 

[Australian]

Qu’ils mangent de la brioche! ("Let them eat bread rolls!") - Marie Antoinette (*1755 +1793), Queen of France.

Marie Antoinette is reported to have said this famous sentence, when told the people had no bread.

I thought it was "Let them eat cake"? Maybe I am wrong though.

 

[Quin]

I thought it was "Let them eat cake"? Maybe I am wrong though.

I believe Elsa M's post is accurate.

 

[Australian]

I believe Elsa M's post is accurate.

Great, thanks for that I read this on wikipedia:

"If they have no bread, then let them eat cake!" ("S’ils n’ont plus de pain, qu'ils mangent de la brioche.") There is no evidence that this phrase was ever uttered by Marie Antoinette.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Antoinette#Coronation_and_reign

 

[Anonymoose]

"Was there ever such thing as great Shakespeare? Only one must not say so! But what think you — what — was there not sad stuff?"- George III

I'm sure every student slogging through Shakespeare would agree!

George III to Archbishop of Canterbury: "I believe your Grace has a large family- better than a dozen?"
"No, sir, only eleven."
"Well, is not that better than a dozen?"

That's pretty ironic coming from a man who ended up with 15 children!

George III also had a habit of mentioning to people if they had got fat since the last time he saw them...Talk about foot in the mouth!

 

[Elsa M.]

I thought it was "Let them eat cake"? Maybe I am wrong though.

We're not sure who said "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche". Jean-Jacques Rousseau attributed these words to "a great princess", in book 6 of his Confessions (which was written 2 or 3 years before Marie-Antoinette arrived in France, in 1770). A recent biographer has claimed that this famous sentence was actually spoken by Marie-Therese (wife of Louis XIV), one hundred years before Marie Antoinette...

Anyway, the word "cake" is a mistranslation of the French "brioche".
If Marie Antoinette ever said this sentence, she didn't mean "gateau", but a flour-and-water paste that the baker would scrape, at the end of the day, from his pans, to set them outside the door, for the beggars. Whoever said this sentence would be simply meaning: if they cannot afford the bourgeois bread, they can avail themselves of the peasants' "poor bread"; something like bread rolls...

Some scholars have stated also another explanation: that, at the time, the law obliged the baker to sell a fancier loaf for the price of the cheap one, whenever the cheap ones were all gone. So, the idea was that the bread shortage could be alleviated, if the law was enforced against profiteering bakers...


The truth is that we will probably never know who said this famous phrase... but anyway I'll say : let the myth stay like that...

 

[Australian]

We're not sure who said "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche". Jean-Jacques Rousseau attributed these words to "a great princess", in book 6 of his Confessions (which was written 2 or 3 years before Marie-Antoinette arrived in France, in 1770). A recent biographer has claimed that this famous sentence was actually spoken by Marie-Therese (wife of Louis XIV), one hundred years before Marie Antoinette...

Anyway, the word "cake" is a mistranslation of the French "brioche".
If Marie Antoinette ever said this sentence, she didn't mean "gateau", but a flour-and-water paste that the baker would scrape, at the end of the day, from his pans, to set them outside the door, for the beggars. Whoever said this sentence would be simply meaning: if they cannot afford the bourgeois bread, they can avail themselves of the peasants' "poor bread"; something like bread rolls...

Some scholars have stated also another explanation: that, at the time, the law obliged the baker to sell a fancier loaf for the price of the cheap one, whenever the cheap ones were all gone. So, the idea was that the bread shortage could be alleviated, if the law was enforced against profiteering bakers...


The truth is that we will probably never know who said this famous phrase... but anyway I'll say : let the myth stay like that...

thanks for that insight! yes, keeping it a myth works for me!

 

[RhapsodyBrat]

"My children are not royal; they just happen to have the Queen for their aunt"
(Princess Margaret)

isn't this quote also credited to Princess Anne, but hers was "My children are not royal. Their grandmother just happened to be the Queen." (or something like that)?

 

[ladybelline]

-The last words of Queen Marie-Thérèse of Spain, Louis XIV's wife : "I only had one day of happiness since I am Queen." (Nobody knows which day it was...)

-And her husband's reaction when he was told of her death: "That is the first sorrow she gives me!"

-On his deathbed, Louis XIV's farewell to his second and secret wife, the Marquise de Maintenon: "Considering how old you are, I'm happy to think you'll soon join me!!" (How gentle!!! )

-Queen Marie-Amélie, wife of Louis-Philippe, King of the French: "The one who said 'Happy like a king' had never worn any Crown!"

 

[Australian]

isn't this quote also credited to Princess Anne, but hers was "My children are not royal. Their grandmother just happened to be the Queen." (or something like that)?

Yes something like that. I might be wrong but i also think the quote is also credited to the Queen. She said "They are not royal, they just happen to have me as their Aunt" (About Princess Margaret's kids)

I have heard this quote being credited to the Queen, Margaret and Anne. haha

 

[Lady Jennifer]

-On his deathbed, Louis XIV's farewell to his second and secret wife, the Marquise de Maintenon: "Considering how old you are, I'm happy to think you'll soon join me!!" (How gentle!!! )

Oh such sweet & gentle words.
Thats something I want to here. "Your getting up there in age so I'll be seeing you really soon!"

 

[Smilla]

-On his deathbed, Louis XIV's farewell to his second and secret wife, the Marquise de Maintenon: "Considering how old you are, I'm happy to think you'll soon join me!!" (How gentle!!! )

Well, he may have been a king, but he definitely wasn't Prince Charming.

 

[Anonymoose]

Speaking of royal husbands who have said less than romantic things...

George II to Queen Caroline as she lay dying after she told him that after she dies he should marry again- "No, never, I shall have mistresses!"

Wow...thanks...

Caroline took it in her stride though and replied: "Oh, that needn't stop you!"

William IV after he was told he was now King (and his wife Adelaide was now Queen): "I'm going back to bed, I've never slept with a Queen before!"

Those royals are a strange bunch.

 

[KatieLouise]

If these haven't already been posted - George V:
"My father was frightened of his mother; I was frightened of my father, and I am damned well going to see to it that my children are frightened of me."
And in response to H.G. Well's description of 'an alien and uninspiring court':
"I may be uninspiring, but I'll be damned if I'm an alien!"
(These are attributed at least...)

 

[BeatrixFan]

There's the story about Hardie Amies visiting Buckingham Palace for lunch who was given the advice, "Do whatever the Queen does". So, the Queen and Hardie Amies were sitting together having lunch and a footman comes with a tray of breadsticks. The Queen takes five and Hardie Amies copies the Queen and takes five. At the end of the meal, the Queen has nibbled away half of one of the breadsticks, when the footman opens the door and four corgis come in. The Queen gives the remaining four breadsticks to the four corgis, turns to Hardie Amies and says, "Now Mr Amies, what are you going to do with yours?".

There's also the one about the Queen attending a service at Westminster Abbey when her handbag flew open and a comb, compact, lipstick, hankie etc all toppled out onto the floor. Various Bishops went for the cosmetic items but the Dean of Windsor saw HM's spectacles had whisked across the floor under a small table. So he retrieved the glasses and gave them to the Queen who said, "Oh, Bishops do have some uses then". When the Dean of Windsor told the Queen he wanted to retire she said, "It's alright for you, I can't".

I love the one about the Queen's holiday to Greece. Everyone heard that the Queen was on this Greek Island and so they all hired small boats to follow Britannia. The Queen, Lady Pamela Hicks and a bodyguard were on the beach when this small craft stopped and shouted, "Have you seen the Queen?!". The Queen jumped up and yelled, "She went that way! She went that way!". The craft sped off and the Queen could enjoy her sunbathing.

 

[ladybelline]

Oh such sweet & gentle words.
Thats something I want to here. "Your getting up there in age so I'll be seeing you really soon!"

Your sentence is in fact closer to the French one than mine! Translating is not easy...
("ma consolation est qu'à l'âge que vous avez, vous me rejoindrez bientôt!"

Everyone heard that the Queen was on this Greek Island and so they all hired small boats to follow Britannia. The Queen, Lady Pamela Hicks and a bodyguard were on the beach when this small craft stopped and shouted, "Have you seen the Queen?!". The Queen jumped up and yelled, "She went that way! She went that way!". The craft sped off and the Queen could enjoy her sunbathing.

Her Majesty has a good sense of humour!!!!

 

[Elsa M.]

Como é para o bem de todos e felicidade geral da Nação, estou pronto; diga ao povo que fico! («Since it's for the good of everyone and the general happiness of the Nation, I am ready; tell the people that I'll stay») - Emperor D. Pedro I of Brazil (*1798 +1834) (later also King D. Pedro IV of Portugal), at the opening of the General Assembly, of May 3rd 1823.

 

[Heiress Victoria]

in this page there are some of Queen Elizabeth I's famous quotes.. they are really good, all of them.. take a look.. http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/elizaquotes.htm

 

[Sister Morphine]

I love the one about the Queen's holiday to Greece. Everyone heard that the Queen was on this Greek Island and so they all hired small boats to follow Britannia. The Queen, Lady Pamela Hicks and a bodyguard were on the beach when this small craft stopped and shouted, "Have you seen the Queen?!". The Queen jumped up and yelled, "She went that way! She went that way!". The craft sped off and the Queen could enjoy her sunbathing.

Priceless!

 

[stephanievl]

queen Paola in an documentaire about her

"Albert and I are made for each other"

 

[susan alicia]

the beneath one is mentioned in this article and:

And years before, visiting a Bethnal Green estate to judge the gardens and window box displays, she noticed a nervous young resident desperately trying to get a photo of the famous visitor. The Queen Mother looked at the lad and asked gently “Haven’t you taken it yet?” “No,” he replied “the sun is in the wrong place.” “Well,” she said “we cannot move the sun, so where would you like me to stand?”........

......

east london history, east end history, tower hamlets, Queen Mother, elizabeth bowes lyon

Some more great quotes from the Queen Mother....she was a witty lady.


"When one of you young queens has finished, can you bring this old queen a drink?" (she said this to members of her staff, who were largely gay)

"Was this yours? Oh, could you take it?" (after someone threw a roll of toilet paper at her)

"Oh, I understand that perfectly. That's how we feel in Scotland too, but the English won't allow it." (after an Afrikaner in South Africa said they didn't like royalty and thought that S.A. should become a republic)

 

[TheTruth]

"I adore him... I have never been so happy. I have real love." ~ Princess Diana

Whom was she talking about ?

Other quotes of Diana :

"I don't wear evening dress any more - I have no where to go"

When asked why she was so involved in charities and all, she joked and laughed saying :

"I have nothing else to do"

Great !

 

[stephanievl]

Anticipating the inevitable criticism of his refusal to sign the abortion law as an attack on democratic rights,king Baudouin asserted his own right to freedom of conscience.


"I know by acting in this way I have not chosen an easy path and that I risk not being understood by many of my fellow citizens. To those who may be shocked by my decision, I ask them: Is it right that I am the only Belgian citizen to be forced to act against his conscience in such a crucial area? Is the freedom of conscience sacred for everyone except for the king?"

"If I hadn’t done this [refused to sign the abortion law], I would have been sick my entire life for having betrayed the Lord"

 

[Little_star]

It's not a particularly famous quote but it's one that I like.

""No matter where we come from, what we look like, how we dress, or to whom we pray, when it comes to what makes us laugh or cry, when it comes to what we dream of for ourselves and for our children, when it comes to how hard we work each day, we are usually more alike than we are different."

Queen Rania speaking on the 4th May 2007 at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Considering the turbulent times we live in it seems particularly apt to me.

 

[stephanievl]

Queen Fabiola in a letter (2003) to remember the dead of her husband 10 years ago

"The love of my husband was an endless source of happiness for all who surrounded him and also for himself. He let me drink this source and also now I draw from it every hour of my life. He could burst out in hearty laughing each moment and that changed spontaneous in an almost constant smile we never got enough of."

"This openess of heart and spirit he carried in him by nature, was the key to his inexhaustible ability to remain surprised, and because of that he could tast the real values and the beauty of life. He owned the unspoilt freshness of a child, which protected him against pride."

"Thanks to him I still learn every day the value of patience and I realise that each human being is a gift for the other."

"To me he remains a unique gift, today, tomorrow and for eternal."

King Baudouin of Belgium

"I have no strenght for tomorrow, but only for today. I have to learn to go through the present moment."

 

[susan alicia]

why is the big lettertype neccesary, it is like if you are shouting

Anticipating the inevitable criticism of his refusal to sign the abortion law as an attack on democratic rights,king Baudouin asserted his own right to freedom of conscience.


"I know by acting in this way I have not chosen an easy path and that I risk not being understood by many of my fellow citizens. To those who may be shocked by my decision, I ask them: Is it right that I am the only Belgian citizen to be forced to act against his conscience in such a crucial area? Is the freedom of conscience sacred for everyone except for the king?"

"If I hadn’t done this [refused to sign the abortion law], I would have been sick my entire life for having betrayed the Lord"

 

[stephanievl]

why is the big lettertype neccesary, it is like if you are shouting

It bacame automaticlly so big! I changed it!

 

[susan alicia]

great, thanks

It bacame automaticlly so big! I changed it!