--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the wise prince is not always the most…" description: "\"“the wise prince is not always the most popular prince;”\" — Hilary Mantel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/hilary-mantel-440_prince_the-wise-prince-is-not-always-the-most-p_2957538.jpg" --- # the wise prince is not always the most popular prince; ![“the wise prince is not always the most popular prince;” quote by Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/hilary-mantel-440_prince_the-wise-prince-is-not-always-the-most-p_2957538.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/hilary-mantel-440_prince_the-wise-prince-is-not-always-the-most-p_2957538.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/hilary-mantel-440_prince_the-wise-prince-is-not-always-the-most-p_2957538.jpg) > ““the wise prince is not always the most popular prince;”” [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wisdom does not guarantee popularity; leaders may be respected yet unpopular. **In simple terms:** Wise leaders can be unpopular. Key Takeaway Lead with integrity, not for applause. Themes leadership wisdom popularity Mood serious reflective Type literary advice When to use this quote - government - organizational settings - public speaking Key Concepts politics history Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle being unpopular? - What matters more: respect or approval? A Different Perspective Popularity can affect influence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [A wise prince must never take things easy in times of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/a-wise-prince-must-never-take-things-easy-in-times-of-peace/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [“Therefore a wise prince, marching the whole day, does not go far from his baggage waggons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/therefore-a-wise-prince-marching-the-whole-day-does-not-go-far-from/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“And how are such wars to be waged? The wise prince will begin by assuming the enemy to be infinitely corruptible and infinitely stupid,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-machen/and-how-are-such-wars-to-be-waged-the-wise-prince-will-begin-by/) [Arthur Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-machen/) > [“Therefore a wise prince ought to adopt such a course that his citizens will always in every sort and kind of circumstance have need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/therefore-a-wise-prince-ought-to-adopt-such-a-course-that-his/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [A wise prince then...should never be idle in times of peace but should industriously lay up stores of which to avail himself in times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/a-wise-prince-then-should-never-be-idle-in-times-of-peace-but-should/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [A wise prince will seek means by which his subjects will always and in every possible condition of things have need of his government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/a-wise-prince-will-seek-means-by-which-his-subjects-will-always-and/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“When everyone feels free to tell you the truth, respect for you dwindles… A wise prince should take another course: choose wise men for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/when-everyone-feels-free-to-tell-you-the-truth-respect-for-you/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Returning to the question of being feared or loved, I conclude that since men love at their own will and fear at the will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/returning-to-the-question-of-being-feared-or-loved-i-conclude-that/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Thus a wise prince will think of ways to keep his citizens of every sort and under every circumstance dependent on the state and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/thus-a-wise-prince-will-think-of-ways-to-keep-his-citizens-of-every/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“There are many who think a wise prince ought, when he has the chance, to foment astutely some enmity, so that by suppressing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-are-many-who-think-a-wise-prince-ought-when-he-has-the-chance/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“And you and your wise prince will talk long into the night, every night, and live to a ripe old age. And the children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-kingfisher/and-you-and-your-wise-prince-will-talk-long-into-the-night-every/) [T. Kingfisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-kingfisher/) > [“Therefore, a wise prince must think of a method by which his citizens will need the state and himself at all times and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/therefore-a-wise-prince-must-think-of-a-method-by-which-his-citizens/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Without doubt, princes become great when they overcome difficulties and hurdles put in their path. When fortune wants to advance a new prince... She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/without-doubt-princes-become-great-when-they-overcome-difficulties/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [No ruler in the history of the world has ever been able to afford a war. They're not affordable things. No prince ever says,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/no-ruler-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-ever-been-able-to-afford-a/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) ## More by Hilary Mantel > [People will identify with a persecuted minority without asking themselves what they are identifying with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/people-will-identify-with-a-persecuted-minority-without-asking/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“The hunter is among the most innocent of men; living in the moment makes him feel pure. When he returns in the evening, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/the-hunter-is-among-the-most-innocent-of-men-living-in-the-moment/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“But what would happen … I mean, what would be so awful … if they did meet up?” “Why, it would be like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/but-what-would-happen-i-mean-what-would-be-so-awful-if-they-did-meet/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [When you have committed enough words to paper, you feel you have a spine stiff enough to stand up in the wind. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/when-you-have-committed-enough-words-to-paper-you-feel-you-have-a/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [At New Year's he had given Anne a present of silver forks with handles of rock crystal. He hopes she will use them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/at-new-year-s-he-had-given-anne-a-present-of-silver-forks-with/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“The story of my own childhood is a complicated sentence that I am always trying to finish, to finish and put behind me. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/the-story-of-my-own-childhood-is-a-complicated-sentence-that-i-am/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“He wants to say, because Anne is not a carnal being, she is a calculating being, with a cold slick brain at work behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/he-wants-to-say-because-anne-is-not-a-carnal-being-she-is-a/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“Come to that, don't pay out good money for horoscopes. If things are going to go badly for you, is that what you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/come-to-that-don-t-pay-out-good-money-for-horoscopes-if-things-are/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“But my sins are my strength, he thinks; the sins I have done, that others have not even found the opportunity of committing. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/but-my-sins-are-my-strength-he-thinks-the-sins-i-have-done-that/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [Feminism hasn't failed, it's just never been tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/feminism-hasn-t-failed-it-s-just-never-been-tried/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“Mirabeau: “If you have been told to clear us from this hall, you must ask for orders to use force. We shall leave our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/mirabeau-if-you-have-been-told-to-clear-us-from-this-hall-you-must/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“Cardinal Campeggio has implored Katherine to bow to the king's will, accept that her marriage is invalid and retire to a convent. Certainly, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/cardinal-campeggio-has-implored-katherine-to-bow-to-the-king-s-will/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“Sion calls Anne an eel, he calls her a slippery dipper from the slime, and he remembers what the cardinal had called her: my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/sion-calls-anne-an-eel-he-calls-her-a-slippery-dipper-from-the-slime/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [I spend a great deal of time on research, on finding all the available accounts of a scene or incident, finding out all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/i-spend-a-great-deal-of-time-on-research-on-finding-all-the-available/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“At the front, people die for their mistakes. Why should politicians be more gently treated? They made the war. They deserve a dozen deaths,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/at-the-front-people-die-for-their-mistakes-why-should-politicians-be/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) [Explore all 559 Hilary Mantel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) ## More Prince quotes > [“Damen's understanding of Laurent rearranged itself, in order that he might despise him more accurately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-u-pacat/damen-s-understanding-of-laurent-rearranged-itself-in-order-that-he/) [S.U. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-u-pacat/) > [People still knew me as Charles, so when I came across Charlemagne in a history book, that sounded good: Charles the Great, a warrior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlamagne-tha-god/people-still-knew-me-as-charles-so-when-i-came-across-charlemagne-in/) [Charlamagne tha God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlamagne-tha-god/) > [After we first met, Prince told me Graham Central Station was one of his biggest influences - then he went back and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-graham/after-we-first-met-prince-told-me-graham-central-station-was-one-of/) [Larry Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-graham/) > [“The Prince had fallen in love. She was only a farmer's daughter, but she was was beautiful, and also smart, as the daughters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/the-prince-had-fallen-in-love-she-was-only-a-farmer-s-daughter-but/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“I’d like to say I deserve you, but the truth is I don’t and never will. You deserve a prince, and you’re not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-mclaughlin/i-d-like-to-say-i-deserve-you-but-the-truth-is-i-don-t-and-never-will/) [Jen McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-mclaughlin/) > [“The ache of loss didn’t make sense, because Laurent had never been his. He had known that. The delicate thing that had grown between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-pacat/the-ache-of-loss-didn-t-make-sense-because-laurent-had-never-been-his/) [C.S. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) > [Minneapolis has always been a mythical place for me because my mom is a massive Prince fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/minneapolis-has-always-been-a-mythical-place-for-me-because-my-mom-is/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [“My uncle plans everything,’ said Laurent, as though reading Damen’s thoughts. ‘He plans for victory and he plans for defeat. It was you who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-pacat/my-uncle-plans-everything-said-laurent-as-though-reading-damen-s/) [C.S. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) > [I personally felt that his ad hominen attacks on British architects were not the sort of thing a Prince of Wales should be doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-holden/i-personally-felt-that-his-ad-hominen-attacks-on-british-architects/) [Anthony Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-holden/) > [I love the royal family. I even got up in the middle of the night to watch Kate and William's wedding. And I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-collins/i-love-the-royal-family-i-even-got-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-to/) [Lily Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-collins/) > [No government can be strong and flourishing while the national character is weak and degraded. A government must flourish and decay with its subjects;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-robbins-curtis/no-government-can-be-strong-and-flourishing-while-the-national/) [Benjamin Robbins Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-robbins-curtis/) > [“You want to hear the truth about my uncle? I’ll tell you,’ said Laurent, a new light in his eyes. ‘I’ll tell you what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-pacat/you-want-to-hear-the-truth-about-my-uncle-i-ll-tell-you-said-laurent/) [C.S. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) > [Prince Charles was a lot wittier than I thought he'd be, and passionate about the environment and architecture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-marshall/prince-charles-was-a-lot-wittier-than-i-thought-he-d-be-and/) [Kris Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-marshall/) > [Just because your prince hasn't come doesn't mean you're not a princess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zayn-malik/just-because-your-prince-hasn-t-come-doesn-t-mean-you-re-not-a/) [Zayn Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zayn-malik/) > [“Instead of leaning in, Damen took Laurent’s hand, brought it towards himself, and kissed his palm, once.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-pacat/instead-of-leaning-in-damen-took-laurent-s-hand-brought-it-towards/) [C.S. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) Browse all 977 Prince quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“the wise prince is not always the most popular prince;”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hilary Mantel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/the-wise-prince-is-not-always-the-most-popular-prince/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Prince" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/the-wise-prince-is-not-always-the-most-popular-prince/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/hilary-mantel-440_prince_the-wise-prince-is-not-always-the-most-p_2957538.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/hilary-mantel-440_prince_the-wise-prince-is-not-always-the-most-p_2957538.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/hilary-mantel-440_prince_the-wise-prince-is-not-always-the-most-p_2957538.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“the wise prince is not always the most popular prince;” — Hilary Mantel", "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": "Hilary Mantel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“the wise prince is not always...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/the-wise-prince-is-not-always-the-most-popular-prince/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/the-wise-prince-is-not-always-the-most-popular-prince/#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 } } ] } ```