Quotes / Royals Who Actually Do Something

"If the king doesn't lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?"

— Lelouch, Code Geass

"For this is what it means to be king: to be first in every desperate attack and last in every desperate retreat, and when there's hunger in the land (as must be now and then in bad years) to wear finer clothes and laugh louder over a scantier meal than any man in your land."

— King Lune of Archenland, The Horse and His Boy

"You may have made it impossible for Shining Armor to perform his spell, but now that you have so foolishly revealed your true self, I can protect my subjects from you!"

— Princess Celestia, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, "A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2"

"I am the Princess of Friendship / But that is more than just a crown / It's a promise to bring ponies together / And never let anypony down."

— Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: The Movie (2017), "We Got This Together" song

"A consummate engineer, a feckless ladies' man, and the reigning king of Figaro, Edgar aids the anti-imperial cause with his technological expertise and the resources of his kingdom. When he's not handling his nation's affairs or hitting on anything with ovaries crossing his line of vision, he's donning a Jason mask and murdering things with a chainsaw."

—Pat R., "The World is Square"

"Lord Seaworth is a man of humble birth, but he reminded me of my duty, when all I could think of was my rights. I had the cart before the horse, Davos said. I was trying to win the throne to save the kingdom, when I should have been trying to save the kingdom to win the throne."

— Stannis Baratheon, A Song of Ice and Fire

"You are mistaken if you think Atreya is meant to protect me. I am meant to protect it."

— Queen Helen, The Zombie Knight

"Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope."

— Mufasa, The Lion King (1994)

"When I was little, I was so excited about being a princess. I thought my life was going to be all gowns, and fancy balls, and handsome princes. But with privilege comes the responsibility to defend those who can't defend themselves. You have to sacrifice on own wants for the needs of many. A true princess puts others before herself. I'm responsible for Athenia."

— Princess Astral, The Other Kingdom, "Cliff Anger"

"I am Karl Franz, and I was born into this world, just like you. A world of unceasing war and endless terrors. But with a nation of men at its heart, a bastion of hope and courage: the Empire. Led by the craven, torn apart by the greedy, weakened and exposed, forever on the defence. But no longer.

Now, we unite! To purge the evil that dare confront us! Follow me, and we will banish this darkness! I swear this as your Emperor!"

— Emperor Karl Franz, Total War: Warhammer

Elmont: Get the king to safety!
King Brahmwell: (pulls out sword) Like hell!

— Jack the Giant Slayer

"One does not sit long on the throne with a dull blade!"

— Ky Kiske, Guilty Gear

"You can sit on a throne, that doesn't make you a ruler. It only means you have an arse."

— Swain, The Noxian Grand General, League of Legends

"A true king is not afraid to take blows with his knights."

— King Arthur, Smite

Archibald Grimes: Oh? The Princess is participating in this fight herself?
Princess Shine: Protecting my country and its people... that's my fight!
Archibald Grimes: Do you understand what that means?
Princess Shine: To shed my blood and the blood of others. I've resolved myself to do that. This red Fairlion is a sign of that!
Archibald Grimes: Noblesse oblige, then? Very well.

— Super Robot Wars OG The Inspector

"That's right. I'm a royal. We're said to have the best magic in this country. And for that very reason, we should extend a helping hand to everyone!"

— Noelle Silva, Black Clover

There had been some debate, when the idea was first mooted, about whether it made sense to send the High King of Fillory into single combat with the handpicked designated hitter of the invading Lorian army. But it rapidly became clear that Eliot was set on it, though his reasons were as much personal as they were tactical. He had begun his stint as High King in a rather decadent vein - louche, you might even say. But as his rein lengthened he had grown into the role, and become more serious about it, and it was time he showed everybody - himself included - how serious he was. Kingship was not an affectation, it was who he was. Very publicly, very literally, he was going to put some skin in the game.

—The Magician's Land

Gloria: I find our current pace perfectly comfortable.
Elvis: Then you're made of sterner stuff than me! And there I was thinking princesses were pampered sorts who needed treating with kid gloves.
Seth: Heh. Guess I kind of thought that too.
Adelle: Seriously, what century are you two from!?
Gloria: I was taught that a princess should always lead from the front.
Sloan: And thou didst learn thy lesson right well, m'lady!

—Bravely Default II

"The king is a fighting piece. Use it!"

— Wilhelm Steinitz, first World Chess Champion

"Regardless... I will reshape this world as it was meant to be. I will crush any opposition. I will rule. That is what a king must do."

— Ganondorf, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Queen Elizabeth II: It doesn't feel right, as Head of State, to do nothing.

Queen Mary: It is exactly right.

Queen Elizabeth II: Is it? But surely doing nothing is no job at all?

Queen Mary: To do nothing is the hardest job of all. And it will take every ounce of energy that you have. To be impartial is not natural, not human. People will always want you to smile or agree or frown. And the minute you do, you will have declared a position. A point of view. And that is the one thing as sovereign that you are not entitled to do. The less you do, the less you say or agree or smile...

Queen Elizabeth II: Or think? Or feel? Or breathe? Or exist?

Queen Mary: The better.

— The Crown (2016), "Act of God"

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