Queen Elizabeth Quotes

“The use of sea and air is common to all; neither can a title to the ocean belong to any people or private persons, forasmuch as neither nature nor public use and custom permit any possession therof.”
― Queen Elizabeth I, The letters of Queen Elizabeth I;

“Homer, in the second book of the Iliad says with fine enthusiasm, "Give me masturbation or give me death." Caesar, in his Commentaries, says, "To the lonely it is company; to the forsaken it is a friend; to the aged and to the impotent it is a benefactor. They that are penniless are yet rich, in that they still have this majestic diversion." In another place this experienced observer has said, "There are times when I prefer it to sodomy." Robinson Crusoe says, "I cannot describe what I owe to this gentle art." Queen Elizabeth said, "It is the bulwark of virginity." Cetewayo, the Zulu hero, remarked, "A jerk in the hand is worth two in the bush." The immortal Franklin has said, "Masturbation is the best policy." Michelangelo and all of the other old masters--"old masters," I will remark, is an abbreviation, a contraction--have used similar language. Michelangelo said to Pope Julius II, "Self-negation is noble, self-culture beneficent, self-possession is manly, but to the truly great and inspiring soul they are poor and tame compared with self-abuse." Mr. Brown, here, in one of his latest and most graceful poems, refers to it in an eloquent line which is destined to live to the end of time--"None knows it but to love it; none name it but to praise.”
― Mark Twain, On Masturbation

“Of all public figures and benefactors of mankind, no one is loved by history more than the literary patron. Napoleon was just a general of forgotten battles compared with the queen who paid for Shakespeare's meals and beer in the tavern. The statesman who in his time freed the slaves, even he has a few enemies in posterity, whereas the literary patron has none. We thank Gaius Maecenas for the nobility of soul we attribute to Virgil; but he isn’t blamed for the selfishness and egocentricity that the poet possessed. The patron creates 'literature through altruism,' something not even the greatest genius can do with a pen.”
― Roman Payne

“This Earle of Oxford, making of his low obeisance to Queen Elizabeth, happened to let a Fart, at which he was so abashed and ashamed that he went to Travell, 7 yeares. On his returne the Queen welcomed him home, and sayd, My Lord, I had forgott the Fart.”
― John Aubrey, Brief Lives

“My fairytale was full of witches, pixies, pirates, dementors, princesses, clowns, true love, betrayal, battles and kings. Yet, I stood on the edge of never and with the bravery of a queen I could see across forever....and I whisphered to the wind, "Morals of great stories didn’t live in kindness. They bloomed from the ashes of who you were to where you were meant to be."”
― Shannon L. Alder

“Your Majesty, I'm afraid everything that could possibly go wrong is going wrong," said Major Sir Michael Parker, an impresario for royal events with an expertise in pyrotechnics. "Oh good, what fun!" she replied with a smile.”
― Sally Bedell Smith, Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch

“Tame him? You can't tame a Tower rat--they're flea-bitten and vicious."

"So are most men!" The girl smiled and stretched her cramped limbs. "Shall I tame one of them instead? They too make diverting pets, you know."

Markham laughed nervously. "Wouldn't you rather have a dog, madam?"

"Ah no--too loyal! They present no challenge." Behind the girl's steady eyes a shadow stirred. "My mother had a dog once. She used to make it jump through a burning hoop to prove its devotion to her, until she found my father did it better. He jumped through that hoop for over six years. When he finally got tired of performing for her amusement he killed her. And that's what makes men such interesting pets, Markham--you never know when they're going to turn and bite.”
― Susan Kay

“It’s not his friendship I miss,’ Elizabeth said bluntly. ‘It’s him. The very person of him. His presence. I want his shadow on my wall, I want the smell of him. I can’t eat without him, I can’t do the business of the realm. I can’t read a book without wanting his opinion, I can’t hear a tune without wanting to sing it to him.”
― Philippa Gregory, The Virgin's Lover

“The Queen sets the tone. What a wonderful beautiful domino effect that her stance on acceptance will have. As the leader of a society she just boldly conveyed that it's okay to accept people where they are.”
― Germany Kent

“One evening, a male friend hosting a house party was interrupted by a frantic call from the princess, who was threatening to commit suicide by throwing herself from her bedroom window. Panicked, the gentleman rang up the queen, who remained unfazed by her sister's dramatics. With characteristic sangfroid Her Majesty informed the caller to "carry on with your house party. Her bedroom is on the ground floor.”
― Leslie Carroll, Royal Pains: A Rogues' Gallery of Brats, Brutes, and Bad Seeds

“It only increased Margaret's dislike of her name when young Elizabeth, whom the family called Lilibet, insisted on referring to her baby sister as "Bud". "She's not a real rose yet, is she? She's only a bud." Elizabeth, who was four years Margaret's senior, pertly told Lady Cynthia Asquith.”
― Leslie Carroll, Royal Pains: A Rogues' Gallery of Brats, Brutes, and Bad Seeds

“It was psychologically natural for the lively younger sister to become the royal equivalent of the enfant terrible.”
― Leslie Carroll, Royal Pains: A Rogues' Gallery of Brats, Brutes, and Bad Seeds

“The Lion of Albion by Stewart Stafford

Bell tolls on the second age of Elizabeth,
As another reign of Charles commences,
The Lion of Albion monitors its domain,
With the steadying mending of fences.

Acceding to the throne, León Coronado,
History's weight on verisimilar shoulders,
As the matriarch reflects in absentia,
Crown jewel of memory to beholders.

Over moor, loch, valley and causeway,
Rises the realm of Charles Rex III,
Phoenix feathers of noblesse oblige,
For the Brexit nesting of a dove bird.

© Stewart Stafford, 2022. All rights reserved.”
― Stewart Stafford

“Fellow Africans, we have condemned Queen Elizabeth II the second for racism and all the atrocities during the colonial period, under her reign, who are we blaming for tribalism, xenophobia and other forms of separatism we commit today?”
― DON SANTO

“Elizabeth II was the best known child in the world when she was BORN.
She became the greatest monarch of all times, LATER ON.
She will be remembered as the most wonderful queen on the THRONE.”
― Mouloud Benzadi