who was the last british monarch who could not speak english?

Answer 1

George I, King of England from 1714 to 1727, was a German prince who succeeded to the throne at the age of 54. He could neither write nor speak the English language.

Answer 2

George I was a German, the first of the Hanoverian monarchs succeeding the childless Queen Anne when the Stuart line ran out.

George had only a nebulous claim to the throne. His ancestry descended from James I, George’s great grandfather. Parliament had decided by the Act of Settlement of 1701, that George would succeed in due course but many other candidates for the throne with closer claims by primogeniture had been overlooked in the selection process. The other candidates were either Catholic, a threat to the Established Church, or monarchs of other nations, a great difficulty when England was at war with France and some other European states.

George had certain advantages for the throne. He was an able military strategist, he had connections in the courts of Europe and had one priceless advantage: He could not speak English. This was of great advantage to the king’s ministers as the king, being unable to order affairs of state directly, was obliged to delegate to them. The king’s favourite minister, Robert Walpole, by degrees took over the government and earned himself the title of Prime Minister. Walpole was the first Prime Minister and the longest serving. Unfortunately, Walpole could not speak German but both he and king George spoke French so the business of state had to be conducted in the language of the enemy.

George made intermittent visits to his homeland and, on one occasion, he had a stroke when sitting on the toilet and died.

Answer 3

Henry IV was the first English king who was a native English speaker - although previous kings had spoken English. So Richard II was the last - before George III - who wasn't a native speaker. That's not to say that he couldn't speak English, however.

But the answer to the question is George I, because he didn't speak English - even if George II wasn't very good at it, he still spoke it!

Answer 4

The first answerer was correct. John I's son (HenryIII?) broke the tradition of French-speaking kings, and then they were all English speaking until Queen Anne died childless and the crown went to the Hanoverian Elector, George I...he and his son could only speak German and preferred Hanover to England--George II did learn a bit of English.

Answer 5

the 1st King of england, because of fact the Norman Conquest, to talk English as his first language replaced into Henry IV. So the final King of england to talk French as his first language might have been Richard II. besides the shown fact that it replaced into Henry V who inspired using English in courtroom. Oddly sufficient, French inspired English much extra after English replaced into reinstated because of fact the language of courtroom, than previously.

Answer 6

German George 1

Answer 7

I've also heard it was George II. He died almost 250 years ago yet xenophobes on this site insist on saying the royal family are all still German.

Answer 8

That German prince, who I believe, became King George 1st

Answer 9

George II, I think. He spoke English but not well

Answer 10

Rumour has it that Queen Victoria's English wasn't too great when she came to the throne. The royal family changed their name to Windsor at the start of World War I. The Mountbattens name was Battenberg. Kaiser Bill was an Uncle.