at Her Majesty's pleasure

Related to at Her Majesty's pleasure: Flogging a Dead Horse

at Her Majesty's pleasure

For an indeterminate length of time, as of one who is being held in prison. Primarily heard in UK. If you break the law while you're in London, they can keep you in prison at Her Majesty's pleasure, you know.
See also: pleasure
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

at Her (or His) Majesty's pleasure

detained in a British prison.
See also: pleasure
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • for a while
  • balls on about (something)
  • bang on about (something)
  • be on about
  • be on about (something)
  • be on about something
  • be/go/keep on about something
  • bang away about (something)
  • pop down
  • at a stretch
References in periodicals archive
Malasi, who lived rough in Peckham, south London, was ordered to be detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure.
Hamer was sentenced to detention at her Majesty's Pleasure at Manchester Crown Court after admitting murder, and the minimum term of 12 years was set by trial judge Mr Justice McCombe.
MARTIN CANNING knows most Scots packed off to Peterhead are spending time at Her Majesty's pleasure.
At Her Majesty's Pleasure is a documentary-style look at the Queen's tour of Britain to meet her subjects and the build-up to the big golden jubilee day.
The black bobble hat pulled down over the eye, the jeans and the dark coat are all a dead giveaway of a man who's served time at Her Majesty's pleasure.
An 18-year-old was also convicted of murder and ordered to be detained at her Majesty's pleasure, while a third defendant, also 18 at the time, was given a five-year sentence for manslaughter.
Smith was given the juvenile equivalent of a life sentence when a judge ordered him to be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure, although Jade's mother always feared he would get out and be allowed to live a normal life.
Hunnisett, who was 17 at the time of the murder, was ordered to be detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure following a trial at Lewes Crown Court.
KINKY Afro and Sub Club drummers Ayawara will take part in an alternative to the Jubilee celebrations tonight on Glasgow's Renfrew Ferry with At Her Majesty's Pleasure.
Collins was convicted of murder in 1996, and ordered to be detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure. The tariff - the time he must serve before being eligible for parole - was set at 10 years.
ROBERT Thompson and Jon Venables (below) were 10 years old when they were detained at Her Majesty's pleasure for the murder of James Bulger, two.
Lee Mulholland, who was serving five years for drug offences, walked out of a Derbyshire prison on Friday, while Daniel Driscoll, who was detained at Her Majesty's pleasure for murder, failed to return to HMP Sudbury on Saturday after being out on temporary release.
Each yob would spend, at first, one month at Her Majesty's pleasure. No visitors, no companions, no TV or mobile phone, just a mattress, blanket, chamber pot, daily water and bread.
'The courts are the Queen's courts, judges are Her Majesty's judges, serious criminal cases are tried in the crown court, prisons are called Her Majesty's Prisons and prisoners are detained at Her Majesty's pleasure,' he said.
The case is expected to affect some 200 other young killers ordered to be detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure before November 2000, when the system changed to allow judges, and not government ministers, to fix tariffs for retribution and deterrence.