What languages do the royals speak?

[rosana]

P. Caroline speaks english,french, italian, she reads spanish, and a little german. I also read in her biography she was studying greek.

[7pm]

It was stated a few pages back that Prince Charles speaks Welsh. He doesn't actually speak much Welsh at all, he spent a few months in Aberystwyth University and is able to read some Welsh. But cannot hold a conversation in the language. None of the British royals can honestly claim to 'speak Welsh' in any real sense.

[crisiñaki]

Originally Posted by Marengo

I recently heard Queen Fabiola speaking on television and her Flemish was excellent and fluent, not to be distinguished from a born Flamand.
Paola has a peculiar way of speaking, but she has that in both french and dutch. She knows however the correct words and order of these words in sentences. Mathilde´s dutch is fluent to, albeit with a french accent.

well, that's understandable since her mother tongue is italian

[Royalist0007]

Originally Posted by Nichola

Regarding the British Royal Family:
- The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh speak fluent French (and I read somewhere that sometimes when they want a private conversation when other non-French speakers are around, they begin speaking in French to each other!)
- The Prince of Wales speaks Welsh.
- The late Princess of Wales spoke Welsh, and sign language.
- Prince William is currently learning Welsh and Swahali.

Prince Philip is known to have given a speech in one of the most difficult languages to learn - Icelandic,which is the closest living language to Faeroese.

Queen Elizabeth II is known to have given speeches in Canada in both English & standard French as her way of reaching out to the Francophone minorities in Canada.{removed off topic part of post- Lady Jennifer}

Queen Elizabeth II was reported a few years ago to be learning Scots-Gaelic,so that she can address the Scots Parliament in both English & Scots-Gaelic.However,her Scots-Gaelic accent is very distinctive,hence the saying,'The Queen's Scots-Gaelic'.I don't know if she has learned any Manx-Gaelic though.

Aidan.

Originally Posted by Roshanah

The King of Ghana speaks: Ga, Chree, French and English

Roshanah,there is no such thing as the King of Ghana.Ghana is a British Commonwealth republic,but it has quite a lot of native monarchies.The most influential is the Asantehene (or King of Ashantiland).

Aidan.

[Roshanah]

With all due respect I am Ghanaian approx 3/4 to be exact and as such am more familiar with the workings of my Country than yourself.

Indeed Ghana became a republic during 1957, thereafter obtaining independance from the former British Empire. However, we Ghanaians did not renounce our Monarchy. The republic only refers to the fact that we are an Autonomous nation and govern ourselves without external autonomous influence (irrespective of UN and G8 membership.)

Therafter obtaining independance we adopted a dual system of governance in order to appease Ghanaians and those who accused us of not being 'civilized' enough. Hence We have a Government and Monarchy. Therefore we are governed by a political system but ruled by a Multi-regional/Tribal Monarchial system with The Assantehene as supreme Monarch.

Finally, as I recall my post merely stated the languages that The Assante speaks (The Assante: Ghanaian personal reference to the King.) There was no need to dispute as to whether or not you believe there is a King of Ghana. Then later to attempt to 'educate' a Ghanaian about their country.



Bireampoma China Iman-Roshanah Osei

Originally Posted by Royalist0007

Roshanah,there is no such thing as the King of Ghana.Ghana is a British Commonwealth republic,but it has quite a lot of native monarchies.The most influential is the Asantehene (or King of Ashantiland).

Aidan.

[magnik]

What about the other royal families f.ex. Japanese Imperial Family? What languages they know?

[Saturn]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

My idea of fluent is: being able to speak or write smoothly, easily, or readily.
And I'm sorry to disagree with you on this point: no any Belgian royal except probably Princess Astrid does master the Dutch language 'fluent'. I'm not talking about an accentless pronouncation, but really... even the King's Christmas Adress is a pain for my ears.

Zap with your remote to RTBF (the french-speaking channel) and hear the same King speaking French... a scandalous world of difference.

It's astonishing that the King of Belgium doesn't speak a perfect Flemish. It's understandable that the Queen consort doesn't speak the language as a native, as she came from another country, but the King was raised in Belgium, so he should speak a perfect Flemish as well as French.

[Royalist0007]

Originally Posted by Roshanah

With all due respect I am Ghanaian approx 3/4 to be exact and as such am more familiar with the workings of my Country than yourself.

Indeed Ghana became a republic during 1957, thereafter obtaining independance from the former British Empire. However, we Ghanaians did not renounce our Monarchy. The republic only refers to the fact that we are an Autonomous nation and govern ourselves without external autonomous influence (irrespective of UN and G8 membership.)

Therafter obtaining independance we adopted a dual system of governance in order to appease Ghanaians and those who accused us of not being 'civilized' enough. Hence We have a Government and Monarchy. Therefore we are governed by a political system but ruled by a Multi-regional/Tribal Monarchial system with The Assantehene as supreme Monarch.

Finally, as I recall my post merely stated the languages that The Assante speaks (The Assante: Ghanaian personal reference to the King.) There was no need to dispute as to whether or not you believe there is a King of Ghana. Then later to attempt to 'educate' a Ghanaian about their country.



Bireampoma China Iman-Roshanah Osei

Ghana actually became a republic in 1960,not 1957.When Ghana became independent in 1957,it was as a Dominion of the British Commonwealth with the Queen as head of state.Kwame Nkrumah began his rise to power when Ghana was still called the Colony of the Gold Coast.He later called himself 'Osagyefo',which means 'Redeemer' in one of the Ghanaian languages.He offended the native monarchs by trying to claim some of their titles for himself.Perhaps that is one reason why Nkrumah was overthrown in 1966.

Here's an article about Kwame Nkrumah; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwame_Nkrumah .

Aidan.

[Next Star]

Prince Albert II of Monaco does not an accent of a person from Monaco I agree with other members that has an American accent. Albert speaks four lanagues English which he speaks very well, French he speaks that very well too being that is the official lanague of Monaco plus he also speaks Italian and Spainsh I have not heard him speak in any of those two lanagues but the other two English and French I have.

[Mari_*]

What about King Juan Carlos? Does he speaks italian?
What other languages?

[Next Star]

King Juan Carlos of Spain speaks six languages Spainish,English, French,Italian,Portuguese,And Catalan

[Mari_*]

Thanks Next Star..

[Next Star]

Your welcome, Mari

[Verde Esmeralda]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

Princess Máxima's Dutch is beyond belief when you take into account that she has never lived in a Dutch-speaking country before and succesfully mastered it in no time.

True. As an Argentinian (which is also trying to master Nederlands), I can tell her supposed Spanish accent is almost cero. I listened to the interview they held with the media before the wedding, and back then (I assume she was still learning), I cannot tell that she his "an Argentinian trying to speak Dutch". She is obviously not a native, but still she was doing a very respectable work. And I am no Maxima fan!

[Mari_*]

I've read Queen Sofia speaks many languages, spanish, english, german, greek.. which else?

[*SofiaM*]

Originally Posted by Mari_*

I've read Queen Sofia speaks many languages, spanish, english, german, greek.. which else?

Does she also speak French?

I hear that her German is very good. Does anybody know if this is true? I've never heard her speaking it.

[ldt20]

I haven't heard Sofia speak German either but I've read that it is the language she grew up talking so I'm sure she is perfectly fluent. Keep in mind that her mom (Queen Frederika) was German.

Originally Posted by ...sOfIa....

Does she also speak French?

I hear that her German is very good. Does anybody know if this is true? I've never heard her speaking it.

[Doña Metizia]

Don't forget that she went to school in Germany (run by an uncle).

[*SofiaM*]

Originally Posted by Doña Metizia

Don't forget that she went to school in Germany (run by an uncle).

Schloss Salem I think. I wonder if her German is still good?