Prince William’s speech

I agree, it isn’t important

Having heard some of Boris Johnson's speeches, I am not sure an Eton education is up to much at all.

Grandma70s

I realise that pedantry is not important compared to the subject of Prince William’s speech yesterday on Holocaust Memorial Day.

However, he said something about it being a “great honour for Catherine and I” - should be “for Catherine and me”. He also pronounced “deteriorate” as “deteriate”. This is a very common mistake, but I would expect better English from the heir to the throne, who represents us on the world stage. So much for an Eton education.

I noticed that immediately Grandma70s
It was still a good speech though.

Somewhere in my woolly brain I can remember being taught at Grammar School that 'Catherine & I' is correct if it precedes a verb.
I am sure I will be told if that is incorrect.

I’m more interested in what people are actually saying.

surely the content is much more important..

I also thought Catherine and I was correct to say.

I thought that too Sarnia but in terms of what his speech was about, I think it's irrelevant.

Yes Sarnia - I’m sure I was taught the same.

But in the grand scheme of things, does it really matter ?

Agree with others.
It's totally unimportant.
I don't suppose he writes out his speeches in full himself anyway.
He's too busy esp with choosing to be a hands on father as well as his unique public role.
He may give some pointers to be included and leave another to draft it.
I'm sure he wouldn't read anything he didn't agree with.
The meaning is perfectly clear and it is becoming standard usage through repetition.
For those wondering the simple way to check which is correct old school style is to remove the other person from the phrase. Would you say
It is a great honour to I ....
? Probably not.
But you might say
It is a great honour to me....

crazyH

Yes Sarnia - I’m sure I was taught the same.

But in the grand scheme of things, does it really matter ?

I’m not disputing the fact that the content was most important - it’s the first thing I mention - but this is Pedants’ Corner, and I was commenting on his command of the English language.

“Catherine and I” was incorrect in this instance. If you ever did Latin, it’s the difference between nominative and accusative. “Catherine and I are greatly honoured “ would be correct. You would say “I am greatly honoured”, but would you say “It is a great honour for I”? Of course you wouldn’t. Similarly, it’s incorrect to say “ It’s a great honour for Catherine and I.”

Crossed posts, welbeck.

Whether it’s ‘me’ or ‘I’ depends on how you would say it if on your own, as Grandma says.

So often it’s used incorrectly, I always notice.

Honour for me is correct. I tend to think these things out multiple times, that would not be possible speaking in public.

Does it matter? I’m more interested in what he has to say and how he lives his life than whether his grammar is always impeccable.

I'm afraid that "... and I" is now used no matter whether I am the subject or the object of the sentence. Poor grammar teaching is at the heart of today's common use of howlers. It has been going on for decades, so we now have at least one, maybe two, generations of teachers who were never taught well in the first place. What amazes me is the number of apparently intelligent, articulate people of my age (who in their time had the advantage of at least halfway decent English teaching) who say it isn't important. Why is their own language not important to them? Are we really a nation of such losers that we don't give a flying fandango about our native tongue? Yes, language is an evolving thing, but do we really have to allow it to "evolve" through ignorance and a lack of regard for our children's literacy?

Barleyfields no it doesn't matter, but the OP is in Pedants Corner. If the OP had been posted in CHAT or similar, then that would be a different matter.

The late Queen - ‘My husband and I’ , and she was and is respected

Anniebach

The late Queen - ‘My husband and I’ , and she was and is respected

It’s correct in some instances, but not in others, as has been discussed - though in fact I did hear the late Queen get it wrong once.

NonGrannyMoll - good points!

I’m a dyed in the wool pedant Aldom, but there are limits to the nits I pick.

But questioning his suitability as heir !

It could have been worse .... it could have been "Me and Catherine ...."

Or her and me is. !

Or me and the wife.