How many languages does Queen Elizabeth actually speak?
When you are a member of the Royal Family in the UK, you are expected to know certain things. Etiquette is a big deal. The same is true of the history of the Commonwealth overseen by Queen Elizabeth II and her family. They have a dress code. Two heirs cannot fly together on the same flight. (In fact, since Prince George is third to the throne, once he's 12, he'll have to fly separately from his father, Prince William, according to Pure Wow.)
The other demands of the royal family are as follows: When Queen Elizabeth II has finished eating, everyone at the table does. And, perhaps the strangest of all royal customs, is the one that says at least six ravens must live at the Tower of London or the monarchy will fail. Currently there are seven ravens in the tower, per historic royal palace.
Another royal requirement is that they speak a language other than English. Prince Charles and Prince William, for example, speak five languages each, per Showbiz Cheat Sheet. The late Prince Philip spoke English, French and German. Prince George, 7, Princess Charlotte, 5, and presumably Prince Louis, 3, are already learning a second language from their Spanish-speaking nanny, according to the newspaper.
So how many languages does the Queen speak?
Queen Elizabeth II speaks a language other than English
Obviously, Queen Elizabeth II is fluent in English. She was born and raised in England and English is the country's official language. Fun fact: Her chic accent is called "Queen's English." If a king was on the throne, he would be called "The King's English," according to Showbiz Cheat Sheet.
However, unlike other members of the royal family who are fluent in several foreign languages, the Queen only speaks French in addition to English. She learned the language as a maiden from her housekeeper, according to the outlet. When Her Royal Highness visits France, she speaks French. In 2014, she gave a speech in plain French at a state banquet.
French expert Camille Chevalier-Karfis told The Local that the Queen's French skills were "excellent".
“Her reading skills were excellent - pronunciation and rhythm were very good, but you could tell she was quite tense. I was impressed with the quality of her French (yet I bet she could read a speech in Chinese if needed.). No stuttering for the queen (for the queen). "
Interestingly, Reel Rundown reports that the Queen's knowledge of French "is useful because Queen Elizabeth's menus are always written in French." The site also notes that Queen Elizabeth knows "a few German words as well as a few Italian, Spanish and Irish words".
