On the off chance that you aren’t a giant royal history nerd such as myself, royal families tend to have to mottoes. If you are really interested in Tudor history, you may recognise “The Most Happy” as Anne Boleyn’s motto or “No Other Wish But His” as Catherine Howard’s. However, the English (and then British) monarch has a motto that has carried through over six hundred years of history. If you happen to be paying attention when you are in the UK, you will start to see Dieu et Mon Droit all over the place, as a royal signature of sorts!
I visited Banqueting House in Whitehall on the second day of my trip! I’ve been wanting to visit it for ages, but it always seemed to be due for restoration work whenever I was visiting. So I went the first day possible to make absolutely sure that I would see. And of course, being a Historic Royal Palace, there are trappings of the monarchy everywhere. However, I didn’t expect to see the sovereign’s motto in the undercroft…
Nothing says “man cave” like a motto proclaiming your divine right to rule over everyone, am I right? For anyone not familiar with French, it translates as “God and my right”. You could also read it as “God and my right hand”, depending on which historical source you read. However, in either case, it is meant to emphasise that the sovereign’s right is backed by God himself. And if you live in a religious society, it’s fairly tough to argue with that…
I was slightly more surprised to see it all over the Royal Opera House. Yes, I know that it is the Royal Opera House, but that doesn’t necessarily strike me as a place that you would need to emphasise your godly right to rule. I suppose that you point that out every chance you get, though… The unicorn and the lion are a magical pairing, and you can find magic in nearly every ballet produced!
(Also, before you ask, individual sovereigns also have their own monarch. Elizabeth I’s Semper Eadem was commonly used on the royal coat of arms during her reign. I can’t sense a rhyme or reason other than they were the monarch and could do as they please!)
Where have you seen Dieu et mon droit before?
Cheers,
The Historian
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