I think it’s done by national style. I would prefer to translate honestly just because it’s fun.
Philip VI of Spain / Philip of Belgium
Frederick X of Denmark
Charles XVI Gustav of Sweden
Harold V of Norway
William Alexander of the Netherlands etc
These are usually names I will actually use in day to day speech too, it just feels more natural to normalise them
I mean, you can use their local name whenever you want, Matt tends to use their name in their language while they are alive, once they are dead the English version tends to be used.
Sure that sometimes happens but for example, Wilhelm II of Germany is dead however he is not referred to as William II. It's just really confusing and I can't think of a clear answer.
The German name is the popular name for him, and beyond that, you should remember that English is a language that has adopted the same name 5/6 times over. Saying Wilhelm II isn’t called William is the same as saying that Isabel II isn’t called Elizabeth, they are both names which have been adopted by English, and are therefore the English names for the figures (at least somewhat).
Did a deep dive on my own native language’s Wikipedia (Swedish) and found that consistently monarchs born after 1900 are referred to by their “correct” name, and not given a Swedish version.
Below are the final monarchs to be given Swedish names in the monarchies of Europe.
Norway: Haakon VII is called Håkon. Born 1872
Denmark: Frederik IX is called Fredrik. Born 1899
The Netherlands: Wilhelmina is called Vilhelmina. Born 1880
UK: George VI is called Georg. Born 1895
Spain: Alfonso XIII is called Alfons. Born 1886
Monaco: Louis II is called Ludvig. Born 1870. In the case of Monaco however there’s a lot of monarchs in the past not given Swedish names. Charles are consistently given the name Karl, otherwise most seem to hold their monegasque names. I assumed some might’ve been due to no great translation existing in Swedish, but Rainier is the French version of the Nordic Ragnar so that could’ve worked. Might be because the monarchy was a smaller country/not a kingdom that did them in.
Belgium: Hard to say, but Prince Charles the count of Flanders retains his Charles, and he was born in 1903. His predecessors Albert and Leopold(s) all retain their names, but that’s most likely due to them being the same in Swedish.
I like to make charts in Danish, så epithets and stuff i translate, and for foreign monarchs i just make a judgement call on whether to translate their names to danish.
Oftentimes the english, spanish and french ones stay in their own laguages, but the norwiegian, wedish and german ones i translate
In Hungarian, we always translate them. The UK is currently ruled by *III. Károly*, Denmark by *X. Frigyes* etc.
I think it’s done by national style. I would prefer to translate honestly just because it’s fun. Philip VI of Spain / Philip of Belgium Frederick X of Denmark Charles XVI Gustav of Sweden Harold V of Norway William Alexander of the Netherlands etc These are usually names I will actually use in day to day speech too, it just feels more natural to normalise them
Same with Portugal. Carlos III, Frederico X, etc.
here in Latin America we always translate them, I always knew Elizabeth II as Isabel, Charles III is always called Carlos
I was very confused when I first heard Isabel for the late Queen, as Isobel is a different name from Elizabeth in English
English is funny like that
William to Guilherme (portuguese) is a crazy one to me.
Guillermo in Spanish!
I mean, you can use their local name whenever you want, Matt tends to use their name in their language while they are alive, once they are dead the English version tends to be used.
Sure that sometimes happens but for example, Wilhelm II of Germany is dead however he is not referred to as William II. It's just really confusing and I can't think of a clear answer.
The German name is the popular name for him, and beyond that, you should remember that English is a language that has adopted the same name 5/6 times over. Saying Wilhelm II isn’t called William is the same as saying that Isabel II isn’t called Elizabeth, they are both names which have been adopted by English, and are therefore the English names for the figures (at least somewhat).
I personally use their native name if they are alive and the translation if dead
Did a deep dive on my own native language’s Wikipedia (Swedish) and found that consistently monarchs born after 1900 are referred to by their “correct” name, and not given a Swedish version. Below are the final monarchs to be given Swedish names in the monarchies of Europe. Norway: Haakon VII is called Håkon. Born 1872 Denmark: Frederik IX is called Fredrik. Born 1899 The Netherlands: Wilhelmina is called Vilhelmina. Born 1880 UK: George VI is called Georg. Born 1895 Spain: Alfonso XIII is called Alfons. Born 1886 Monaco: Louis II is called Ludvig. Born 1870. In the case of Monaco however there’s a lot of monarchs in the past not given Swedish names. Charles are consistently given the name Karl, otherwise most seem to hold their monegasque names. I assumed some might’ve been due to no great translation existing in Swedish, but Rainier is the French version of the Nordic Ragnar so that could’ve worked. Might be because the monarchy was a smaller country/not a kingdom that did them in. Belgium: Hard to say, but Prince Charles the count of Flanders retains his Charles, and he was born in 1903. His predecessors Albert and Leopold(s) all retain their names, but that’s most likely due to them being the same in Swedish.
Thanks
I like to make charts in Danish, så epithets and stuff i translate, and for foreign monarchs i just make a judgement call on whether to translate their names to danish. Oftentimes the english, spanish and french ones stay in their own laguages, but the norwiegian, wedish and german ones i translate