Phrase Finder

The King is Dead....

Posted by Bob July 05, 2001In reply to Kill the King posted by Gary Martin on July 04, 2001

I'm looking for both the orgin and mean of the phrase "Kill the King, Long Live the King." I've seen some variations, some include a line like "The King is Dead". Thank You.

"The King is dead: long live the King" has long been used in England as an acclaimation of a new sovereign. The meaning is, "The [old] King is dead; long live the [new] King". Presumably the last time it was used in Britain, when George VI died, it had to be modified a bit.

Gary

"The King is Dead" ("Shah mat" in ancient Persia, where chess comes from) is the origin of "checkmate."

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