--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The word must is not to be used to princes." description: "\"The word must is not to be used to princes.\" — Elizabeth I" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee9/elizabeth-i-3475_language_the-word-must-is-not-to-be-used-to-princ_790497.jpg" --- # The word must is not to be used to princes. ![“The word must is not to be used to princes.” quote by Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee9/elizabeth-i-3475_language_the-word-must-is-not-to-be-used-to-princ_790497.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee9/elizabeth-i-3475_language_the-word-must-is-not-to-be-used-to-princ_790497.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee9/elizabeth-i-3475_language_the-word-must-is-not-to-be-used-to-princ_790497.jpg) > “The word must is not to be used to princes.” [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The term “must” should not be used for royalty, implying they are not bound by obligation. **In simple terms:** Royalty aren’t compelled by “must”. Key Takeaway Respect authority without imposing mandates. Themes authority language etiquette Mood formal historical Type advice observational When to use this quote - court protocol - formal writing - public policy - education Key Concepts political theory social hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - How does language shape perception of power? - When is “must” appropriate for leaders? A Different Perspective Even leaders have responsibilities; language can be nuanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Princes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/princes/) ## Related quotes > [“lovely is a lovey word that should be used more often”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/lovely-is-a-lovey-word-that-should-be-used-more-often/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [Must! Is must a word to be addressed to princes? Little man, little man! Thy father, if he had been alive, durst not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/must-is-must-a-word-to-be-addressed-to-princes-little-man-little-man/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [Princes have big ears which hear far and near.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/princes-have-big-ears-which-hear-far-and-near/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [we Princes are set as it were upon stages, in the sight and view of all the world. The least spot is soon spied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/we-princes-are-set-as-it-were-upon-stages-in-the-sight-and-view-of/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [I regret the unhappiness of princes who are slaves to forms and fettered by caution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-regret-the-unhappiness-of-princes-who-are-slaves-to-forms-and/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [A word is used "correctly" when the average hearer will be affected by it in the way intended. This is a psychological, not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/a-word-is-used-correctly-when-the-average-hearer-will-be-affected-by/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Love is nothing more then a word that you used when you stole my heart.!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-nothing-more-then-a-word-that-you-used-when-you-stole-my-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Famosity? There must be such a word. I used it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/famosity-there-must-be-such-a-word-i-used-it/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > ["Easy" is a word that's used to describe other people's jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-fried/easy-is-a-word-that-s-used-to-describe-other-people-s-jobs/) [Jason Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-fried/) > [Ugly is a word that should only be used to describe sin and never used to describe people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/ugly-is-a-word-that-should-only-be-used-to-describe-sin-and-never/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [LOVE. A four letter word, over used and under appreciated. The meaning lost in a world of online dating and texts through telephones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/love-a-four-letter-word-over-used-and-under-appreciated-the-meaning/) [Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/) > [Love was also an easy word, used carelessly. Felons and creeps could offer it coated in sugar, and users could dangle it so enticingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/love-was-also-an-easy-word-used-carelessly-felons-and-creeps-could/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [The word I used when explaining it was that I am almost 'allergic' to lots of hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-d-arcy/the-word-i-used-when-explaining-it-was-that-i-am-almost-allergic-to/) [Emma D'Arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-d-arcy/) > [Etc... A word used to make others believe that you know more than you actually do:P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loi-lori/etc-a-word-used-to-make-others-believe-that-you-know-more-than-you/) [Loi Lori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loi-lori/) > [I will not sit in a room with black people when the N word is used. I know it was meant to belittle a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-will-not-sit-in-a-room-with-black-people-when-the-n-word-is-used-i/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) ## More by Elizabeth I > [Affection! Affection is false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/affection-affection-is-false/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [I do not so much rejoice that God hath made me to be a Queen, as to be a Queen over so thankful a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-do-not-so-much-rejoice-that-god-hath-made-me-to-be-a-queen-as-to-be/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [It is monstrous that the feet should direct the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/it-is-monstrous-that-the-feet-should-direct-the-head/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [I cannot find it in me to fear a man who took ten years a learning of his alphabet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-cannot-find-it-in-me-to-fear-a-man-who-took-ten-years-a-learning-of/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [I grieve and dare not show my discontent, I love and yet am forced to seem to hate, I do, yet dare not say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-grieve-and-dare-not-show-my-discontent-i-love-and-yet-am-forced-to/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [I have no desire to make windows into men's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-have-no-desire-to-make-windows-into-men-s-souls/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [Let tyrants fear, I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/let-tyrants-fear-i-have-always-so-behaved-myself-that-under-god-i/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [I would not open windows into men's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-would-not-open-windows-into-men-s-souls/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [The name of a successor is like the tolling of my own death-bell!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/the-name-of-a-successor-is-like-the-tolling-of-my-own-death-bell/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [Had I been crested, not cloven, my Lords, you had not treated me thus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/had-i-been-crested-not-cloven-my-lords-you-had-not-treated-me-thus/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [I pluck up the good lissome herbs of sentences by pruning, eat them by reading, digest them by musing, and lay them up at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-pluck-up-the-good-lissome-herbs-of-sentences-by-pruning-eat-them-by/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [Eyes of youth have sharp sight but commonly not so deep as those of elder age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/eyes-of-youth-have-sharp-sight-but-commonly-not-so-deep-as-those-of/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [I do not so much rejoice that God hath made me to be a Queen, as to be a Queen over so thankful a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-do-not-so-much-rejoice-that-god-hath-made-me-to-be-a-queen-as-to-be-2/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [It has been always held for a special principle in friendship that prosperity provideth but adversity proveth friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/it-has-been-always-held-for-a-special-principle-in-friendship-that/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [There is a close tie of affection between sovereigns and their subjects; and as chaste wives should have no eyes but for their husbands,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/there-is-a-close-tie-of-affection-between-sovereigns-and-their/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) [Explore all 130 Elizabeth I quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) ## More Language quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Usually male directors have to use foul language to get the job done. But I never came down to that level as being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-khosla-kumar/usually-male-directors-have-to-use-foul-language-to-get-the-job-done/) [Divya Khosla Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-khosla-kumar/) > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [“I only have two words to say More or Less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timbur/i-only-have-two-words-to-say-more-or-less/) TimBur > [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [What is music? Music is language. A human being wants to express ideas in this language, but not ideas that can be translated into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/what-is-music-music-is-language-a-human-being-wants-to-express-ideas/) [Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/) > [You're beautiful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, and fuck.. I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The words for what I want to say right now don't exist. Everything sounds…so cliché.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-crane/the-words-for-what-i-want-to-say-right-now-don-t-exist-everything/) [Shelly Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-crane/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Words can kill you trust towards someone, mind you language people, every reaction had its consequence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/words-can-kill-you-trust-towards-someone-mind-you-language-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Finxerunt animi, raro et perpauca loquentis. (To action little, less to words inclinded.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/finxerunt-animi-raro-et-perpauca-loquentis-to-action-little-less-to/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) [Browse all 21,951 Language quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The word must is not to be used to princes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elizabeth I" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/the-word-must-is-not-to-be-used-to-princes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Language" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/the-word-must-is-not-to-be-used-to-princes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee9/elizabeth-i-3475_language_the-word-must-is-not-to-be-used-to-princ_790497.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee9/elizabeth-i-3475_language_the-word-must-is-not-to-be-used-to-princ_790497.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee9/elizabeth-i-3475_language_the-word-must-is-not-to-be-used-to-princ_790497.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The word must is not to be used to princes.” — Elizabeth I", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Elizabeth I", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The word must is not to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/the-word-must-is-not-to-be-used-to-princes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/the-word-must-is-not-to-be-used-to-princes/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```