Hum...Since we can't discuss politics, I keep to myself what I think about what I've read above...
Now, two little things to add:1- Before Victorian Era (and in some countries even after it) the main court language was FRENCH. The French thing was ot so archaic, but nowadays things that thousand years ago is almost thousands of thousands of millions of years. And the tought I keep to myself about English is the same I share to French. 2-I think that Asian noblemen and women must study another Asian language. language is not only a tool to communicate, but also a better way to understand another culture and to show respect for it. Some "back then" (I use this word to speak about all that not belongs to Post-modern days) Monarchs spoke more than one foreign lenguage. Empress Elizabeth of Austria (for example) was forced to learn a lot of languages when a little girl (she wouldn't like it). Empress Alexandra of Russia did speak English (certainly! She was educated by Queen Victoria, her Grandmother), but also her own language, German, and French (she never liked it a bit; she felt not at easy when speaking it, but she could speak it!) and certainly, Russian, even if not too accurately. Her husband was even more skilled than her: to his native Russian, you must add French, English and perfect Danish, beacause her mother Danish roots. And, oh wait...he could read Swedish. And certainly, Queen Victoria's German was better than her English, this is widely known. Nicholas II daughters spoke English currently, sometimes among them, inestead than use the Russian...but the Tsarevich, their brother was more at easy speaking French, for he was very close to his personal teacher, Pierre Gilliard.
Oh, and by the way: the court language since XVIII Century was French, not English. Before, it was Italian. somewhat mixed up with Spanish.
Vanesa.