Table of Contents
Which king of England spoke no English at all?
George II, who ruled from 1727 to 1760, was the last British monarch whose first language was not English. Contrary to popular belief, his first language wasn’t German either: it was apparently French, the prestige language spoken at the court of Hanover.
Which British monarchs spoke German?
The Hanoverians, George I and II (1714–1760) were Britain’s first German speaking monarchs. George I and George II were both born in Germany and came to England in 1714 when George I succeeded Anne. George I was 54 at the time and never bothered to master English. He spoke to his ministers and advisors in French.
Did King George III speak German?
At the time, it seemed unlikely that George William Frederick would one day become King George III, the longest-ruling monarch English before Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II. Young George was educated by private tutors, and by age 8 he could speak English and German and would soon learn French.
Which king of England was German?
George I of Great Britain
| George I | |
|---|---|
| Issue more… | George II, King of Great Britain Sophia Dorothea, Queen in Prussia |
| Names George Louis (German: Georg Ludwig) | |
| House | Hanover |
| Father | Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover |
Was Richard Lionheart English?
Despite being born in England, Richard may not have spoken English. However, Richard did not spend a great deal of time in England and he may not have learned to speak English. In his whole reign, he spent no more than six months north of the Channel.
Was Queen Victoria a German?
Most of us know that the British royal family is German by descent. Her mother was Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, a German princess. As a small child, Victoria was looked after and taught by her German governess, Baroness Lehzen. For the first three years of her life, she spoke only German.
Which kings of England spoke French?
William the Conqueror
French was the mother tongue of every English king from William the Conqueror (1066–1087) until Henry IV (1399–1413). Henry IV was the first to take the oath in English, and his son, Henry V (1413–1422), was the first to write in English.