diff --git a/include/cxxopts.hpp b/include/cxxopts.hpp
index 94b81ef..457cb68 100644
--- a/include/cxxopts.hpp
+++ b/include/cxxopts.hpp
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ namespace cxxopts
   {
     public:
     option_exists_error(const std::string& option)
-    : OptionSpecException(u8"Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE + u8" already exists")
+    : OptionSpecException("Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE + " already exists")
     {
     }
   };
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ namespace cxxopts
   {
     public:
     invalid_option_format_error(const std::string& format)
-    : OptionSpecException(u8"Invalid option format " + LQUOTE + format + RQUOTE)
+    : OptionSpecException("Invalid option format " + LQUOTE + format + RQUOTE)
     {
     }
   };
@@ -371,8 +371,8 @@ namespace cxxopts
   class option_syntax_exception : public OptionParseException {
     public:
     option_syntax_exception(const std::string& text)
-    : OptionParseException(u8"Argument " + LQUOTE + text + RQUOTE +
-        u8" starts with a - but has incorrect syntax")
+    : OptionParseException("Argument " + LQUOTE + text + RQUOTE +
+        " starts with a - but has incorrect syntax")
     {
     }
   };
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ namespace cxxopts
   {
     public:
     option_not_exists_exception(const std::string& option)
-    : OptionParseException(u8"Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE + u8" does not exist")
+    : OptionParseException("Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE + " does not exist")
     {
     }
   };
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ namespace cxxopts
     public:
     missing_argument_exception(const std::string& option)
     : OptionParseException(
-        u8"Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE + u8" is missing an argument"
+        "Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE + " is missing an argument"
       )
     {
     }
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ namespace cxxopts
     public:
     option_requires_argument_exception(const std::string& option)
     : OptionParseException(
-        u8"Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE + u8" requires an argument"
+        "Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE + " requires an argument"
       )
     {
     }
@@ -417,8 +417,8 @@ namespace cxxopts
       const std::string& arg
     )
     : OptionParseException(
-        u8"Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE +
-        u8" does not take an argument, but argument " +
+        "Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE +
+        " does not take an argument, but argument " +
         LQUOTE + arg + RQUOTE + " given"
       )
     {
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ namespace cxxopts
   {
     public:
     option_not_present_exception(const std::string& option)
-    : OptionParseException(u8"Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE + u8" not present")
+    : OptionParseException("Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE + " not present")
     {
     }
   };
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ namespace cxxopts
       const std::string& arg
     )
     : OptionParseException(
-        u8"Argument " + LQUOTE + arg + RQUOTE + u8" failed to parse"
+        "Argument " + LQUOTE + arg + RQUOTE + " failed to parse"
       )
     {
     }
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ namespace cxxopts
     public:
     option_required_exception(const std::string& option)
     : OptionParseException(
-        u8"Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE + u8" is required but not present"
+        "Option " + LQUOTE + option + RQUOTE + " is required but not present"
       )
     {
     }