William Longchamp is credited with its introduction to England in the late 12th century, following the practice of the Chancery of Apostolic Briefs. It is also used in certain formal contexts by bishops and university rectors. The royal we is commonly employed by a person of high office, such as a monarch or other type of sovereign. In this quotation, underlining has been added to the words that exemplify the use of the majestic plural. Now, We, Edward, by the grace of God, King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, etc., etc., have arrived at the following decisions upon the questions in dispute, which have been referred to Our arbitration. The sentence following the preamble of the award begins as follows: A more general term for the use of a we, us, or our to refer to oneself is nosism.Īfter the United Kingdom had been asked to arbitrate a boundary dispute between Argentina and Chile, King Edward VII issued the adjudication of the requested arbitration, known as the Cordillera of the Andes Boundary Case.

The royal we, majestic plural ( pluralis majestatis), or royal plural, is the use of a plural pronoun (or corresponding plural-inflected verb forms) used by a single person who is a monarch or holds a high office to refer to themselves. Latin document of 1249–50 issued by Henry III of England he uses the phrase Mandamus vobis ('We command you').

What pronoun is we