We live in what virtually amounts to a museum—which does not happen to a lot of people.
—Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921–2021) Consort of Queen Elizabeth II
Every noble crown is, and on Earth will forever be, a crown of thorns.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
I’d like to be queen of people’s hearts.
—Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–97) English Royal, Humanitarian, Peace Activist
A family on the throne is an interesting idea. It brings down the pride of sovereignty to the level of petty life.
—Walter Bagehot (1826–77) English Economist, Journalist
Call me Diana, not Princess Diana.
—Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–97) English Royal, Humanitarian, Peace Activist
We treat our people like royalty. If you honor and serve the people who work for you, they will honor and serve you.
—Mary Kay Ash (1918–2001) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson
A throne is only a bench covered with velvet.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Princes give me sufficiently if they take nothing from me, and do me much good if they do me no hurt; it is all I require of them.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Kings have many ears and eyes.
—Common Proverb
Majesty and love do not consort well together, nor do they dwell in the same place.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
Kings are not born: they are made by artificial hallucination.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
The best reason why Monarchy is a strong government is, that it is an intelligible government. The mass of mankind understand it, and they hardly anywhere in the world understand any other.
—Walter Bagehot (1826–77) English Economist, Journalist
Being a princess isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
—Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–97) English Royal, Humanitarian, Peace Activist
Aspect are within us, and who seems most kingly is king.
—Thomas Hardy (1840–1928) English Novelist, Poet
Though God hath raised me high, yet this I count the glory of my crown: that I have reigned with your loves. And though you have had, and may have, many mightier and wiser princes sitting in this seat; yet you never had, nor shall have any that will love you better.
—Queen Elizabeth I (1533–1603) British Monarch
A monarchy is the most expensive of all forms of government, the regal state requiring a costly parade, and he who depends on his own power to rule, must strengthen that power by bribing the active and enterprising whom he cannot intimidate.
—James Fenimore Cooper (1789–1851) American Novelist
Divine right of kings means the divine right of anyone who can get uppermost.
—Herbert Spencer (1820–1903) English Polymath, Philosopher, Sociologist, Political Theorist
The Sovereign has, under a constitutional monarchy such as ours, three rights—the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, the right to warn. And a king of great sense and sagacity would want no others.
—Walter Bagehot (1826–77) English Economist, Journalist
A monarch, when good, is entitled to the consideration which we accord to a pirate who keeps Sunday School between crimes; when bad, he is entitled to none at all.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
There is no necessity to separate the monarch from the mob; all authority is equally bad.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Kings fight for empires, madmen for applause.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
If your job is to leaven ordinary lives with elevating spectacle, be elevating or be gone.
—George Will (b.1941) American Columnist, Journalist, Writer
The metaphor of the king as the shepherd of his people goes back to ancient Egypt. Perhaps the use of this particular convention is due to the fact that, being stupid, affectionate, gregarious, and easily stampeded, the societies formed by sheep are most like human ones.
—Northrop Frye
Kings, in this chiefly, should imitate God; their mercy should be above all their works.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Political leader, Philosopher
I am your anointed Queen. I will never be by violence constrained to do anything. I thank God I am endued with such qualities that if I were turned out of the Realm in my petticoat I were able to live in any place in Christendom.
—Queen Elizabeth I (1533–1603) British Monarch
I have nothing against the Queen of England. Even in my heart I never resented her for not being Jackie Kennedy. She is, to my mind, a very gallant lady, victimized by whoever it is who designs the tops of her uniforms.
—Leonard Cohen (1934–2016) Canadian Singer, Songwriter, Poet, Novelist
Everyone likes flattery; and when you come to Royalty you should lay it on with a trowel.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
If you shoot at a king you must kill him.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
They say that kings are made in the image of God. If that is what he looks like, I feel sorry for God.
—Frederick II of Prussia (1712–86) Prussian Monarch