# "The Queen" in the United States
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 23, 2008, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654 "2008-01-23T12:46:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/1 "2008-01-23T12:46:26Z")
If I were to talk about “the Queen”, devoid of context, in the U.S., would it be assumed I was talking about Elizabeth II? I suppose for every country that has monarchy it would be assumed i’d be talking about theirs, but i’d be interested to know what the assumption would be over there. Not sure if this is really a GQ though.
As another question, when the news/newspapers mentions our Queen, do they normally specify her or do they just leave it as “the Queen” and assume people will know which one?
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### Author:  [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/2 "2008-01-23T12:53:48Z")
With people just talking, you can say “the Queen” and have a 90-something percent certainty that they will assume it’s Elizabeth. There’s a few pedants and numbnuts out there who keep it from being closer to 100%.
In formal use (and in the media, as well…BA-DA-BOOM!), though, you’d most certainly have to be more descriptive, “England’s Queen Elizabeth”, etc.
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### Author:  [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/3 "2008-01-23T12:54:04Z")
Speaking as an Englishman I would think that most Americans would naturally assume you were talking about Liz.
As for newspapers, again if they are British papers they would refer to Liz as The Queen.
If they are talking about some other queen they’d name them.
fr’example: Elton John had tea and crumpets with The Queen today
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### Author:  [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/4 "2008-01-23T13:11:46Z")
[QUOTE=An Arky]
With people just talking, you can say “the Queen” and have a 90-something percent certainty that they will assume it’s Elizabeth. There’s a few pedants and numbnuts out there who keep it from being closer to 100%.
[/QUOTE]
But the OP did say devoid of context, so I may fall into the numbnuts group if you just come out of the blue and said the queen killed a worker, especially if we’re studying the gathering characteristics of ant colonies at the time. But, I imagine that’s a type of context, too. Maybe, well, what would be an occasion where something’s completely devoid of context? It doesn’t take a _lot_ to figure out you mean the Queen of England. Maybe the complete lack of all other context would be an implied context leading toward The Queen.
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### Author:  [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/5 "2008-01-23T13:22:40Z")
Funny, but I would assume we were talking about Ru Paul.
What?
-Joe
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### Author:  [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/6 "2008-01-23T13:26:03Z")
I guess I qualify as a numbnuts or pendant, because if you walked up to me and said “The Queen died today.”, I’d ask “The Queen of what?”.
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### Author:  [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/7 "2008-01-23T13:47:32Z")
The wording is very important.
Queen = Queen is a popular rock band.
The Queen = The Queen is likely Elizabeth,but we do have other queens show up. The phrase the Queen would refer to the Queen of Norway if she was currently in the news and not Elizabeth. The Queen of Norway is in our local papers sometimes. The Kensington Rune Stone, is believed authentic by her. She was at the dedication of a Norwegian building in New World Wisconsin once.
I suppose somebody may also think the Queen to refer to Queen Latifah.
[Queen Latifah](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Latifah)
Without context I would say which one.
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### Author:  [@nofloyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nofloyd)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/8 "2008-01-23T14:12:16Z")
Well, when I saw the thread title, I did think it would be about Elizabeth II before I clicked and confirmed.
American.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/9 "2008-01-23T14:41:56Z")
Trying to imagine a statement completely without of context; I have come up with, “I like the Queen” or “I hate the Queen”.
I would immediately think of Queen Elizabeth. I think most Americans would.
I don’t see how this question could have an actual answer. I doubt anyone has published a scientific poll on this question.
“I like Queen” would conjure of the Rock Group.
Jim
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/10 "2008-01-23T15:03:56Z")
[QUOTE=Revenant Threshold]
If I were to talk about “the Queen”, devoid of context, in the U.S., would it be assumed I was talking about Elizabeth II?
[/quote]
Yes. I suspect that there is a large proportion of Americans who are not aware that there are any other queens extant.
> [@](#):
>
> As another question, when the news/newspapers mentions our Queen, do they normally specify her or do they just leave it as “the Queen” and assume people will know which one?
In news articles, American newspapers will generally use “Queen Elizabeth II” on first reference. On subsequent references, they might say “the Queen” or “Elizabeth.”
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/11 "2008-01-23T15:11:00Z")
I think even the people in the remote backwaters of the U.S. would assume that it is Elizabeth II. The U.S. isn’t generally known for knowledge of foreign affairs but UK royalty does get a lot of press even in supermarket trash tabloids. I don’t think it has much to do with alli status. People in the U.S. have maybe a 15% chance at most for naming the Prime Minister of Canada and we are fairly close to being the same country. Naming the Prime Minister or whatever it is of Australia would only make it up to 3% at most. I can’t do either myself and I read a lot.
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### Author:  [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/12 "2008-01-23T15:26:15Z")
[QUOTE=Balthisar]
But the OP did say devoid of context, so I may fall into the numbnuts group if you just come out of the blue and said the queen killed a worker
[/QUOTE]
I’d assume you had an ant farm.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/13 "2008-01-23T15:28:50Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty]
Naming the Prime Minister or whatever it is of Australia would only make it up to 3% at most. I can’t do either myself and I read a lot.
[/QUOTE]
Is it still John Howard? He got a lot of press the last few years for seemingly being as far to the crazy right as Bush or at least for Oz.
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### Author:  [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/14 "2008-01-23T15:37:04Z")
I came here thinking that this was a movie review thread. Carry on.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/15 "2008-01-23T16:32:57Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty]
I think even the people in the remote backwaters of the U.S. would assume that it is Elizabeth II.
[/QUOTE]
Since we’re speculating, I think you singled out the wrong group-- they’re the ones who would reliable think of Elizabeth first. It’s the more well traveled and cosmopolitan people who are likely to know that there are other Queens out there, or who would try to be pedantic about it.
When you say The Queen, it’s going to be Elizabeth. If you said A Queen died today, it might not be so obvious, and might actually make people think it was someone other than Elizabeth.
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### Author:  [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/16 "2008-01-23T16:50:34Z")
> [@Balthisar](#):
>
> But the OP did say devoid of context, so I may fall into the numbnuts group if you just come out of the blue and said the queen killed a worker
[QUOTE=zagloba]
I’d assume you had an ant farm.
[/QUOTE]
I’d assume some low level functionary had spilled tea all over Elizabeth, and she responded with her super secret SAS training to shove his nose into his brain.
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### Author:  [@Le\_Comte\_de\_Mortain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Comte_de_Mortain)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/17 "2008-01-23T16:53:01Z")
Out of interest, do American newsmongers refer to her as the Queen of England, as opposed to the Queen of Great Britain or the United Kingdom?
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/18 "2008-01-23T17:01:58Z")
[QUOTE=Le Comte de Mortain]
Out of interest, do American newsmongers refer to her as the Queen of England, as opposed to the Queen of Great Britain or the United Kingdom?
[/QUOTE]
I mostly recall Queen of England, but even more just Queen Elizabeth, with the assumption that we know who they are talking about.
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### Author:  [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/19 "2008-01-23T17:04:19Z")
Brenda
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2008, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-queen-in-the-united-states/434654/20 "2008-01-23T17:08:47Z")
[QUOTE=chowder]
Brenda
[/QUOTE]
I get the feeling you don’t like the old lady too much. Is this true? Is so why?
Jim (ignorant American, not a defender of her)
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