What's the origin of the second-person 'we'?

Question

I've often heard the phrase ***what do we have here*** to mean ***what do you have***. And also, recently, I've heard a teacher ask one of his students struggling with an assignment: ***do we have a problem?***, as in ***do you have a problem?*** I simply want to know how exactly such a rearrangement of pronoun usage became a thing and maybe if other languages do something similar. Thanks.

Answer 1

The use of the "royal" we is often used to include the speaker, as in "What do we have here?" Another example: "No, we do not throw toys." It is often seen as more polite and indirect, as opposed to saying "Do not throw toys."