History Main / RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething

** In the early editions of the game, acheving fame as an adventurer was often a step to gaining a noble title and/or creating a new territory. You could potentially even [[StartMyOwn create an entirely new state]] and declare yourself its ruler. Creator/GaryGygax also suggested that some adventurers might be aristocrats who won't inherit much wealth and turn to adventuring to earn their own fortunes.

* ''Fanfic/OnTrial'': Queen Arianna. After [[spoiler: her husband]]'s crimes are discovered, she takes full control [[of the government (with Rapunzel aiding her)]]. She shuts down Corona's worst prison, fires an incompetent captain, and does her best to make sure Corona never sees such corruption again.

* ''Series/OhsamaSentaiKingOhger'' are literally this, it'member consists of monarchs or royalties from different kingdoms.

** [[Series/Merlin2008 King Arthur]] is described as having been this, back in the day.

* Myth/ChineseMythology: The discoverer of tea is often credited as being a Chinese emperor who had practised medicine, and tested many of his experiments on himself. Tea must have been his best discovery.

** Unlike other Inner Sphere states, the Capellan Confederation doesn't specifically require its Chancellors to serve in the military. The current Chancellor, Daoshen Liao, is an exception in that he was a FrontlineGeneral who often led his troops in battle in his [[MeaningfulName Yu Huang]] Mech, whose name translates to "Jade Emperor." His daughter Danai Liao-Centrella, the result of BrotherSisterIncest and his heir apparent, has also repeatedly proven herself as a Mechwarrior.

Compare ModestRoyalty, AuthorityGrantsAsskicking, NonIdleRich, RichKidTurnedSocialActivist.

* Most ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' settings have AuthorityGrantsAsskicking and/or AsskickingLeadsToLeadership as a matter of fact. But even if the land is not under constant attacks or a hereditary [[TheMagocracy magocracy]], expect high-ups to keep their hands (or other appendages) very busy with large-scale juggling. Which applies to ruling monarchs and other BlueBlood alike.

* In ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'', there are the Monarchs (Emperors in Japan), an archetype of Monsters based on Attributes; all the base Monarchs (except Zaborg) are Level 6, [[AuthorityGrantsAsskicking they all have an ATK of 2,400]], there is one for each Attribute (except Light, which has two), and most gain their effects from being Tribute Summoned. [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Mobius_the_Mega_Monarch Mobius the Mega Monarch]] is an evolved Level 7 form of one of them, released in the latest set, suggesting more Mega Monarchs are to follow.

** Tywin Lannister is also a very hard-working and able administrator, which is revealed as a character trait in his very first scene when he has a conversation with Jaime while skinning a deer, work he could easily have left to servants. Suspisciously however, this vigorousness does not extend to actual combat. Tywin may be seen among the Lannister troops at his camp or riding to Cersei's rescue once the battle of Blackwater is effectively over, yet he is never seen actively engaging in combat or leading his army from the front into battle, or visibly putting his own life at risk in any other way.

** Tywin Lannister is also a very hard-working and able administrator, which is revealed as a character trait in his very first scene when he has a conversation with Jaime while skinning a deer, work he could easily have left to servants. Suspisciously however, Tywin may be seen among the Lannister tropes at his camp or riding to Cersei's rescue once the battle of Blackwater is effectively over, yet he is never seen actively engaging in combat or leading his army from the front into battle, or visibly putting his own life at risk in any other way.

** Tywin Lannister is also a very hard-working and able administrator, which is revealed as a character trait in his very first scene when he has a conversation with Jaime while skinning a deer, work he could easily have left to servants.

* In ''FanFic/{{Emperor}}'', Henry I of the Northern Sun [[spoiler:formerly known as Harry James Potter]] takes to the field in the wars his country is involved in, [[spoiler:using his magical powers]], while Queen Elicia is one of the nation's foremost scientists.

Compare ModestRoyalty, AuthorityEqualsAsskicking, NonIdleRich, RichKidTurnedSocialActivist.

* Franchise/MonsterVerse: {{Justified|Trope}}. Practically all of the Alpha Titans have a RedBaron calling them a King/Queen (King of the Monsters, Queen of the Monsters, King of the Primates, etc.), and they at times have to fight other Titans to maintain their positions of dominance due to the creatures' AsskickingEqualsAuthority.

** Zizagged by the Clans. Their society runs on AsskickingEqualsAuthority and doesn't have 'royals', only 'whoever can kick the most ass at 'mech combat and politics'. However, [[DesignerBabies trueborns]] who achieve a Bloodname are the only ones allowed to get into the political part, while freebirths (people born the old-fashioned way) can theoretically test out as warriors, but will never run the Clan themselves.

* Most ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' settings have AuthorityEqualsAsskicking and/or AsskickingEqualsAuthority as a matter of fact. But even if the land is not under constant attacks or a hereditary [[TheMagocracy magocracy]], expect high-ups to keep their hands (or other appendages) very busy with large-scale juggling. Which applies to ruling monarchs and other BlueBlood alike.

* In ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'', there are the Monarchs (Emperors in Japan), an archetype of Monsters based on Attributes; all the base Monarchs (except Zaborg) are Level 6, [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking they all have an ATK of 2,400]], there is one for each Attribute (except Light, which has two), and most gain their effects from being Tribute Summoned. [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Mobius_the_Mega_Monarch Mobius the Mega Monarch]] is an evolved Level 7 form of one of them, released in the latest set, suggesting more Mega Monarchs are to follow.

* ''Webcomic/DriveDaveKellet'': La Familia are the only ones with access to the Ring Drive technology which enables FTL travel.[[note]]However, this is because they inflict DisproportionateRetribution on anyone who tries to steal the secrets of how it works. The Drive is what gives the Family their political power, and they're not about to let anyone else get their hands on it.[[/note]] This means that ''every'' Ring Drive ship has a chief engineer on it who is related (fairly closely) to the Emperor of all mankind. It also means that if you're in the family ... well, hope you like engineering; the limiting factor how many ships the Empire has appears to be the number of family members there are to run them. You'll also be drafted young; the protagonists' ship has a 15-year-old Chief Engineer ... he's not some kind of wunderkind technological genius, he's just what was available.

** TabletopGame/Greyhawk sourcebooks list the levels and classes of the rulers of every part of the Flanaess. Almost all of these rulers are at least 11th or 12th level, and often higher.

** WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}} is the son of Zeus and Hera, the king and queen of the gods, and therefore a prince. He spends all of his time whupping every monster that terrorizes Greece.

[[caption-width-right:331:[[Film/Troy "Imagine a king who fights his own battles. Wouldn't that be a sight?"]]]]

[[caption-width-right:331:[[Film/Troy2004 "Imagine a king who fights his own battles. Wouldn't that be a sight?"]]]]

[[caption-width-right:331:"God Save the King"? Nah, he's got this.]]

** Averted by the Clans. Their society runs on AsskickingEqualsAuthority and doesn't have 'royals', only 'whoever can kick the most ass at 'mech combat and politics'.

* [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep Hero]] of ''Webcomic/{{Evon}}'': Heir to a duchy in [[NamesTheSame The Pridelands]] and a world famous heroic adventurer.