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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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royal we
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A former custom, by which monarchs talked of themselves in the first person plural. It is remembered now chiefly because of Queen *Victoria's famous remark, 'We are not amused'. She was reported to have said this after seeing an imitation of herself by a member of the court. More recently the memory of the royal we was revived by Mrs *Thatcher's tendency to use it. The element of ambiguity surrounding this mannerism (for she could always have been talking about herself and her government) was resolved in 1989 when she announced to the assembled press: 'We are a grandmother.'
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