# How much does the Queen of England tip?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 28, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437 "2012-12-28T23:00:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/61 "2013-01-03T03:24:19Z")
Or you could just, you know, call her Queen of the UK.
Or even just QE2, which is universally understood and does not ignore/insult [all of the places she’s Queen of that aren’t England](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_realm). Which includes some quite large countries you might have heard of, such as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
You know, for a forum that’s devoted to fighting ignorance, some people here seem very insistent on using a name that is demonstrably wrong. You can argue for “Queen of England” all you like, but it’s still not one of QE2’s actual titles.
---
### Author:  [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/62 "2013-01-03T06:05:41Z")
I think most Americans (including myself when I was younger) do not understand the difference between England, the UK, and Great Britain.
I presume most Americans believe there is a country called England where (a funny version of) English is commonly spoken - just as Spain is where Spanish is spoken, germany where german is spoken, Italy where Italian is spoken, France where French is spoken. Oh - and Greece - they speak Greek there.
We do know there is a city London - and there is a tower called Big Ben (shhh - don’t tell me - that’s what we think).
Once you get past that - our knowledge is a little vaguer. Of course - once you travel there - you learn more things and question things you never thought of before.
Anyway - I don’t think you can really blame us for thinking the Woman who speaks with a funny accent and waves is the Queen of England. Her son after all isn’t called the Prince of England - or the UK, but the Prince of Wales. We do not know why that is. We assume you do. We realize we could look it up. Everyone here knows who we are talking about when we call her the Queen of England. It sounds very wrong to you, but doesn’t to most of us.
We have been calling Native Americans Indians for quite some time as well. And I’m sure most Americans believe they speak Chinese in China.
There are plenty of other things we do wrong as well.
---
### Author:  [@Space\_Vegetable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vegetable)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/63 "2013-01-03T09:04:12Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#):
>
> Given that she is now in her 80’s, probably about 20 degrees.
Or “It depends how much sherry she’s had.” 😃
Thanks, I’ll be here all week, remember to tip your royalty.
---
### Author:  [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/64 "2013-01-03T10:51:56Z")
Considering that “Great Anna, whom three realms obey, doth sometimes counsel take, and sometimes tea” ceased being [the last] Queen of England in 1707, and has been decomposing since 1714, I presume she would tip completely over.
---
### Author:  [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/65 "2013-01-03T11:09:52Z")
> [@DataX](#):
>
> I think most Americans (including myself when I was younger) do not understand the difference between England, the UK, and Great Britain.
>
> I presume most Americans believe there is a country called England where (a funny version of) English is commonly spoken - just as Spain is where Spanish is spoken, germany where german is spoken, Italy where Italian is spoken, France where French is spoken. Oh - and Greece - they speak Greek there.
>
> We do know there is a city London - and there is a tower called Big Ben (shhh - don’t tell me - that’s what we think).
>
> Once you get past that - our knowledge is a little vaguer. Of course - once you travel there - you learn more things and question things you never thought of before.
>
> Anyway - I don’t think you can really blame us for thinking the Woman who speaks with a funny accent and waves is the Queen of England. Her son after all isn’t called the Prince of England - or the UK, but the Prince of Wales. We do not know why that is. We assume you do. We realize we could look it up. Everyone here knows who we are talking about when we call her the Queen of England. It sounds very wrong to you, but doesn’t to most of us.
>
> We have been calling Native Americans Indians for quite some time as well. And I’m sure most Americans believe they speak Chinese in China.
>
> There are plenty of other things we do wrong as well.
Yes, but this board is supposed to be about fighting ignorance, not supporting it.
---
### Author:  [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/66 "2013-01-03T11:49:31Z")
> [@Shakester](#):
>
> Or you could just, you know, call her Queen of the UK.
>
> Or even just QE2, which is universally understood and does not ignore/insult [all of the places she’s Queen of that aren’t England](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_realm).
QE2 is an ocean liner. The Queen is Elizabeth II. But to further complicate matters, some Scottish people may object to the style “Elizabeth II” used north of the border. [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/9369115/Shes-still-our-Queen-for-a-that.html](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/9369115/Shes-still-our-Queen-for-a-that.html)
> [@](#):
>
> She was the first Elizabeth to reign over the United Kingdom, and no Elizabeth had ever been Queen of Scots. A few pillar boxes bearing the legend E II R were blown up.
---
### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/67 "2013-01-03T13:36:30Z")
> [@DataX](#):
>
> I think most Americans (including myself when I was younger) do not understand the difference between England, the UK, and Great Britain.
>
> I presume most Americans believe there is a country called England where (a funny version of) English is commonly spoken - just as Spain is where Spanish is spoken, germany where german is spoken, Italy where Italian is spoken, France where French is spoken. Oh - and Greece - they speak Greek there.
>
> We do know there is a city London - and there is a tower called Big Ben (shhh - don’t tell me - that’s what we think).
>
> Once you get past that - our knowledge is a little vaguer. Of course - once you travel there - you learn more things and question things you never thought of before.
>
> Anyway - I don’t think you can really blame us for thinking the Woman who speaks with a funny accent and waves is the Queen of England. Her son after all isn’t called the Prince of England - or the UK, but the Prince of Wales. We do not know why that is. We assume you do. We realize we could look it up. Everyone here knows who we are talking about when we call her the Queen of England. It sounds very wrong to you, but doesn’t to most of us.
>
> We have been calling Native Americans Indians for quite some time as well. And I’m sure most Americans believe they speak Chinese in China.
>
> There are plenty of other things we do wrong as well.
I think plenty of us are quite aware thank you. “Queen of England” is common usage here. Not out of ignorance. Its just the way we say it. We also don’t put a u in color. So what. I’m pretty sure that [ABC](http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/queen-england-releases-holiday-greeting-3d-18054688) isn’t totally ignorant of the UK. Or [NBC](http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45555853/ns/today-today_news/t/queen-englands-income-frozen-until/). Or [Forbes](http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/12/03/kate-middleton-is-pregnant-will-she-give-birth-to-the-next-queen-of-england/). I think you get the idea. You can trace it back to colonial times. Its like being critical of Americans for calling the country Germany instead of Deutschland.
---
### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/68 "2013-01-03T14:27:20Z")
> [@Shakester](#):
>
> Or even just QE2, which is universally understood and does not ignore/insult [all of the places she’s Queen of that aren’t England](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_realm). Which includes some quite large countries you might have heard of, such as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
So, referring to her as “queen of the United Kingdom” isn’t enough now, because it is _insulting_ to Australia, New Zealand, and Canada?
> [@](#):
>
> You can argue for “Queen of England” all you like, but it’s still not one of QE2’s actual titles.
You’ll notice that when people say “queen of England,” they don’t add “(one of her actual titles).” “Actual title” isn’t a mandatory requirement of language.
---
### Author:  [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/69 "2013-01-03T15:15:33Z")
> [@DataX](#):
>
> I think most Americans (including myself when I was younger) do not understand the difference between England, the UK, and Great Britain.
>
> I presume most Americans believe there is a country called England where (a funny version of) English is commonly spoken - just as Spain is where Spanish is spoken, germany where german is spoken, Italy where Italian is spoken, France where French is spoken. Oh - and Greece - they speak Greek there.
>
> We do know there is a city London - and there is a tower called Big Ben (shhh - don’t tell me - that’s what we think).
>
> Once you get past that - our knowledge is a little vaguer. Of course - once you travel there - you learn more things and question things you never thought of before.
>
> Anyway - I don’t think you can really blame us for thinking the Woman who speaks with a funny accent and waves is the Queen of England. Her son after all isn’t called the Prince of England - or the UK, but the Prince of Wales. We do not know why that is. We assume you do. We realize we could look it up. Everyone here knows who we are talking about when we call her the Queen of England. It sounds very wrong to you, but doesn’t to most of us.
>
> We have been calling Native Americans Indians for quite some time as well. And I’m sure most Americans believe they speak Chinese in China.
>
> There are plenty of other things we do wrong as well.
> [@SciFiSam](#):
>
> Yes, but this board is supposed to be about fighting ignorance, not supporting it.
Back and forths in threads is normal, but when ground rules about “this board” are being claimed, well, my dander perks up.
“Ignorance” comes in many forms. **DataX** is abundantly clear, and is fighting ignorance of what is mainly in the thread now.
I might add, to calm down **SciFiSam** , that way the hell up in the thread this was posted:
> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> True, [Obama] is. QEII \*is \*Queen of England, even tho she has chosen not to make that one of her “styles”.
And that point–the ignorance-being-fought implications it suggests–has been healthily fleshed out here.
It’s That Thang We Do.
Back to the OP, I think:
> [@John\_DiFool](#):
>
> Given that she is now in her 80’s, probably about 20 degrees.
> [@Space\_Vegetable](#):
>
> Or “It depends how much sherry she’s had.” 😃
>
> Thanks, I’ll be here all week, remember to tip your royalty.
I didn’t get this the first time, so I really don’t get it now.
What am I missing? Degrees 😕 (Sorry to ask you to kill a joke by explaining it.)
---
### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/70 "2013-01-03T15:18:09Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> Back and forths in threads is normal, but when ground rules about “this board” are being claimed, well, my dander perks up.
>
> “Ignorance” comes in many forms. **DataX** is abundantly clear, and is fighting ignorance of what is mainly in the thread now.
>
> I might add, to calm down **SciFiSam** , that way the hell up in the thread this was posted:
>
> And that point–the ignorance-being-fought implications it suggests–has been healthily fleshed out here.
>
> It’s That Thang We Do.
> Back to the OP, I think:
>
> I didn’t get this the first time, so I really don’t get it now.
>
> What am I missing? Degrees 😕 (Sorry to ask you to kill a joke by explaining it.)
20 degrees is the point where she would tip over. As in tipping point.
---
### Author:  [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/71 "2013-01-03T15:26:04Z")
:smack:
😃
In partial recompense, “Would you like to see the wine list?”
---
### Author:  [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/72 "2013-01-03T16:09:46Z")
> [@DataX](#):
>
> So let’s say the Queen was at a summit or something where there was more than one Queen.
>
> A waiter goes in the back and says to another waiter “Quick - we need some pineapple juice for the Queen!”
>
> A second waiter (yes I realize this is convoluted) asks “Ill take it to her - which one?”
>
> Assuming the first waiter was raised in the UK - what (besides something like “my Queen”) would be the correct response?
The one who is not Sir Elton John
---
### Author:  [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/73 "2013-01-03T16:30:28Z")
Apropos, **Elendil’s Heir** ’s main-page column filling in for Cecil, [How Does the Queen Answer the Phone](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3077/how-does-the-queen-answer-the-phone), is terrific, and in fact was cited today (belatedly) in [National Review Online.](http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/336829/thursday-links-debby-witt)
---
### Author:  [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/74 "2013-01-03T17:20:05Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> Back and forths in threads is normal, but when ground rules about “this board” are being claimed, well, my dander perks up.
>
> “Ignorance” comes in many forms. **DataX** is abundantly clear, and is fighting ignorance of what is mainly in the thread now.
>
> I might add, to calm down **SciFiSam** , that way the hell up in the thread this was posted:
>
> And that point–the ignorance-being-fought implications it suggests–has been healthily fleshed out here.
>
> It’s That Thang We Do.
> Back to the OP, I think:
>
> I didn’t get this the first time, so I really don’t get it now.
>
> What am I missing? Degrees 😕 (Sorry to ask you to kill a joke by explaining it.)
Calm down? I’m not remotely angry and I’m fairly sure I don’t sound it. I’m not sure why stating the purpose of the board annoys you. I mean, it’s not like I made it up.
It’s fine to choose to call her by the wrong title if you like, but accept that it is the wrong title. That’s all.
---
### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/75 "2013-01-03T17:36:48Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#):
>
> It’s fine to choose to call her by the wrong title if you like, but accept that it is the wrong title. That’s all.
Very few people in this thread were ignorant about the fact that Elizabeth’s official titles do not include “queen of England.” But you seem to be oblivious to the ignorance that I pointed out, namely, regarding notions of “wrong” and regarding the fact that whether something is official or not doesn’t determine whether something is “wrong.”
---
### Author:  [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/76 "2013-01-03T17:48:12Z")
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> Very few people in this thread were ignorant about the fact that Elizabeth’s official titles do not include “queen of England.” But you seem to be oblivious to the ignorance that I pointed out, namely, regarding notions of “wrong” and regarding the fact that whether something is official or not doesn’t determine whether something is “wrong.”
I actually genuinely have no idea what you mean or why you’re being so defensive. I’ve said it doesn’t annoy me and you guys are free to use it if you like, and now you’re claiming that using the wrong title isn’t wrong. 😕 Informal usages are often inaccurate, no big deal.
Perhaps you and the other guy should pit me or something.
---
### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/77 "2013-01-03T17:48:34Z")
> [@Loach](#):
>
> When she needs to tip doesn’t she have a couple of spare baronies laying around?
I know this is a joke, but it’s worth pointing out that peerages are now doled out “on the advice of the Prime Minister”, which is a fancy way of saying he gets to pick who gets them.
> [@Shakester](#):
>
> Or you could just, you know, call her Queen of the UK.
>
> Or even just QE2, which is universally understood and does not ignore/insult [all of the places she’s Queen of that aren’t England](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_realm). Which includes some quite large countries you might have heard of, such as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
It’s already been mentioned vis-a-vis Scotland, but QE2 is not the second Queen Elizabeth of _any_ of the places that aren’t England. QEI was only Queen of England and Ireland.
---
### Author:  [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/78 "2013-01-03T18:29:00Z")
> [@DataX](#):
>
> So let’s say the Queen was at a summit or something where there was more than one Queen.
>
> A waiter goes in the back and says to another waiter “Quick - we need some pineapple juice for the Queen!”
>
> A second waiter (yes I realize this is convoluted) asks “Ill take it to her - which one?”
>
> Assuming the first waiter was raised in the UK - what (besides something like “my Queen”) would be the correct response?
A raised eyebrow, and “THE Queen”, I suspect.
---
### Author:  [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/79 "2013-01-03T19:51:37Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#):
>
> Given that she is now in her 80’s, probably about 20 degrees.
Boo!
Also, I wish I’d though of that.
---
### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-queen-of-england-tip/645437/80 "2013-01-03T21:15:28Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> I know this is a joke, but it’s worth pointing out that peerages are now doled out “on the advice of the Prime Minister”, which is a fancy way of saying he gets to pick who gets them.
Well now I know who to suck up to.
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