Royal we
Pluralis Majestatis ("Grandiose Plural") is the use of the plural pronoun in reference to one individual her-, him-, or itself alone. This is also known as the "Royal we because it has usually been restricted to august personages such as monarchs, bishops, popes, and university rectors. The reason behind the pluralis majestatis is the idea that a monarch or other high official always speaks for his/her people.
Examples of purported instances:
- We are not amused. Queen Victoria (in at least one account of this quotation, though, she was not speaking for herself alone, but for the ladies of the court.)
- We are a grandmother. Margaret Thatcher announcing the birth of Mark Thatcher's son Michael in 1990.
To be distinguished from Pluralis modestiae, also Pluralis Auctoris (inclusion of readers or listeners). For instance:
- Let's calculate! Leibniz
- We are thus led also to a definition of 'time' in physics. Albert Einstein