"Perhaps one of the only positive pieces of advice that I was ever given was that supplied by an old courtier who observed: Only two rules really count. Never miss an opportunity to relieve yourself; never miss a chance to sit down and rest your feet"
About this Quote
As a piece of advice attributed to an "old courtier", it also reads like institutional cynicism handed down as tradition. Courts are endurance sports: endless ceremonies, standing, waiting, smiling through discomfort while everyone watches. In that world, the only autonomy left is what you can do quietly, without permission. The courtier's rules are survival tactics disguised as wisdom, a reminder that status doesn't cancel physiology; it just adds costumes and constraints.
The subtext gets sharper when you remember who is speaking. Edward VIII is the king who abdicated, the royal who famously couldn't or wouldn't endure the role as scripted. Recasting this as the "only positive" advice he ever received is a sideways indictment of the palace's moral education: lofty rhetoric about duty apparently failed to stick, while practical tips for getting through the day did. It's wry, self-exposing, and a little contemptuous of the system that raised him.
He isn't offering philosophy. He's offering a coping mechanism, and in doing so he lets the reader see the crown not as destiny but as a long, uncomfortable shift where the smartest move is to grab the chair while it's still available.
Quote Details
| Topic | Witty One-Liners |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
VIII, King Edward. (2026, January 18). Perhaps one of the only positive pieces of advice that I was ever given was that supplied by an old courtier who observed: Only two rules really count. Never miss an opportunity to relieve yourself; never miss a chance to sit down and rest your feet. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/perhaps-one-of-the-only-positive-pieces-of-advice-17989/
Chicago Style
VIII, King Edward. "Perhaps one of the only positive pieces of advice that I was ever given was that supplied by an old courtier who observed: Only two rules really count. Never miss an opportunity to relieve yourself; never miss a chance to sit down and rest your feet." FixQuotes. January 18, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/perhaps-one-of-the-only-positive-pieces-of-advice-17989/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Perhaps one of the only positive pieces of advice that I was ever given was that supplied by an old courtier who observed: Only two rules really count. Never miss an opportunity to relieve yourself; never miss a chance to sit down and rest your feet." FixQuotes, 18 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/perhaps-one-of-the-only-positive-pieces-of-advice-17989/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
