The Tick (shanrina) wrote in little_details,
The Tick
shanrina
little_details

What language(s) did Edward V and his little brother (the Princes in the Tower) speak?

Hi, all. I'm writing a story about the Princes in the Tower (mid-to-late 1400s England), and I'm having trouble finding information about what language they would have spoken. I know the English royalty used to speak French but gradually transitioned to English. I've found several sources saying that by 1500 most nobles and royals spoke English, but I can't seem to find any more information that would narrow the transition period down. My gut says that they were born close enough to 1500 that they probably spoke English, but this time period isn't anywhere close to my area of expertise and I really want some confirmation of this. Also, if they spoke English, what kind of accent would they have? Would their English be similar enough to the English spoken by peasants that they'd be easy to understand, or would they have problems?

I've checked in several books, including The Cambridge Illustrated History of the Middle Ages and The Oxford Illustrated History of the British Monarchy. I've also checked Wikipedia and tried Googling variations on "What languages did Edward V of England speak?" without finding the answer.

Thanks for any help you can provide--I've been trying to find the answer for months and I just can't seem to get anywhere.
Tags: 1400-1499, uk: history (misc), uk: nobility
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