In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, which character delivers the final lines of the play?

In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Prince Escalus delivers the final lines of the play.

After Romeo, Juliet, Paris, and Mercutio have died, the Prince listens to Friar Laurence’s explanation and examines the evidence gathered at the tomb. He then condemns the feud between the Montagues and Capulets, declaring that the families have been punished through the loss of their children.

The Prince’s closing speech gives the tragedy a public and civic conclusion. Romeo and Juliet’s relationship began in secret, but their deaths force Verona’s rulers and families to acknowledge the damage caused by their long conflict. The surviving families promise to honor the lovers with statues.

The final speaker is sometimes confused with Friar Laurence because the Friar explains the central sequence of events near the ending. Friar Laurence’s account comes before the Prince’s closing judgment. The Prince’s last words emphasize that no story of greater sorrow has occurred than that of Juliet and her Romeo.