Legal Definitions - le roy remercie ses loyal sujets, accepte leur benevolence

The phrase le roy remercie ses loyal sujets, accepte leur benevolence, originating from Law French, translates to "the king thanks his loyal subjects, accepts their benevolence." Historically, this was a specific declaration made by the monarch in parliamentary systems, particularly in the United Kingdom, to signify royal assent to a "bill of supply."

A bill of supply is a type of legislation that authorizes the government to spend public money, essentially granting funds for state operations and public services. By using this phrase (or "la reine remercie ses loyal sujets, accepte leur benevolence" for a queen), the monarch formally approved the bill, framing the allocation of funds not as a demand, but as an acceptance of the generosity ("benevolence") of the people, as represented by Parliament. It highlights the monarch's constitutional role in sanctioning the financial decisions made by the elected representatives.

Here are some examples illustrating this concept:

• Annual Government Budget: Imagine a scenario where the national parliament has debated and approved the government's annual budget, which includes funding for everything from healthcare and education to defense and public infrastructure. This budget is typically encapsulated in an "Appropriation Bill." When this bill is presented for royal assent, the monarch's declaration of "le roy remercie ses loyal sujets, accepte leur benevolence" formally authorizes the government to access and spend the allocated funds for the upcoming fiscal year. It signifies the Crown's approval of the financial plan put forth by the elected body, acknowledging that these funds ultimately come from the taxpayers.

• Emergency Disaster Relief Funding: Consider a situation where a country faces a major natural disaster, such as widespread flooding or a severe earthquake, requiring immediate and substantial public expenditure for relief efforts, rebuilding, and supporting affected communities. Parliament might quickly pass an emergency funding bill to allocate the necessary resources. The monarch's use of this traditional phrase would formally authorize the release of these emergency funds, acknowledging the collective financial contribution (through taxes) of the subjects to address the crisis and accepting this "benevolence" for the public good.

• Funding for a New National Infrastructure Project: Suppose the government proposes a massive, multi-year project, such as constructing a new high-speed rail network or a series of advanced public hospitals, requiring significant long-term investment. After extensive parliamentary debate and approval, a bill is passed to secure the funding for this ambitious undertaking. The monarch's formal assent, expressed through "le roy remercie ses loyal sujets, accepte leur benevolence," would officially greenlight the financial commitment. This act underscores that even for grand national endeavors, the funding originates from the "benevolence" of the subjects, and the monarch is formally accepting and authorizing its use for the collective benefit of the nation.