Princess is a regal rank and the feminine equivalent of
prince (from
Latin ''
princeps'', meaning
principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a
king or prince.
Princess as a substantive title
![Sigrid Eriksdotter Vasa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Sigrid_Eriksdotter_Vasa.jpg)
Some princesses are reigning monarchs of principalities. There have been fewer instances of reigning princesses than reigning princes, as most principalities excluded women from inheriting the throne. Examples of princesses regnant have included
Constance of Antioch, princess regnant of
Antioch in the 12th century.
Since the
President of France, an office for which women are eligible, is ''
ex-officio'' a
Co-Prince of Andorra
The co-princes of Andorra are jointly the heads of state ( ca, cap d'estat) of the Principality of Andorra, a landlocked microstate lying in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. Founded in 1278 by means of a treaty between the Bishop of Urg ...
, then
Andorra could theoretically be jointly ruled by a princess.
Princess as a courtesy title
Descendants of monarchs
For many centuries, the title "princess" was not regularly used for a monarch's daughter, who, in English, might simply be called "Lady".
Old English
Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...
had no female equivalent of "prince", "earl", or any royal or noble title aside from
queen. Royal women were simply addressed or referred to as "The Lady
irstname. For example,
Elizabeth and
Mary, daughters of
Henry VIII of England, were often simply referred to as "the Ladies Elizabeth and Mary". This practice, however, was not consistent. In the marriage contract between
Prince George of Denmark
Prince George of Denmark ( da, Jørgen; 2 April 165328 October 1708) was the husband of Anne, Queen of Great Britain. He was the consort of the British monarch from Anne's accession on 8 March 1702 until his death in 1708.
The marriage of Georg ...
and
Anne, daughter of
James II of Great Britain
James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...
, Anne is referred to as ''"The Princess Anne"''.
Practice in Britain began to change in the 18th century. After the accession of
King George I to the British throne, the children, grandchildren, and male-line great grandchildren of the British Sovereign were automatically titled "Prince or Princess of Great Britain and Ireland" and styled "Royal Highness" (in the case of children and grandchildren) or "Highness" (in the case of male line great grandchildren).
Queen Victoria confirmed this practice in Letters Patent dated 30 January 1864 (the first Act of the Prerogative dealing with the princely title in general terms). On 31 December 2012,
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
issued letters patent enabling all children of the eldest son of the
Prince of Wales to enjoy the princely title and style of ''
Royal Highness'', as opposed to only the eldest son.
Wives of princes
In European countries, a woman who marries a prince will almost always become a princess, but a man who marries a princess will almost never become a prince, unless specifically created so. From 1301 onward, the eldest sons of the
Kings of England (and later Great Britain and the United Kingdom) have generally been created
Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, and their wives have been titled
Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales (Welsh: ''Tywysoges Cymru'') is a courtesy title used since the 14th century by the wife of the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. The current title-holder is Catherine (née Middleton).
The title was firs ...
.
Queen Elizabeth II of United Kingdom issued Letters Patent dated 21 August 1996, stating that any woman divorced from a Prince of the United Kingdom would no longer be entitled to the style "Royal Highness". This has so far applied to
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
, and
Sarah, Duchess of York. Similarly, in
Denmark,
Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg
Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, , formerly Princess Alexandra of Denmark, (''née'' Alexandra Christina Manley; born 30 June 1964) is the former wife of Prince Joachim of Denmark, the younger son of Margrethe II of Denmark.
She was born i ...
, lost her status as princess upon her divorce from
Prince Joachim of Denmark;
Queen Margrethe II bestowed instead upon her former daughter-in-law the additional personal title
Countess of Frederiksborg
Countess of Frederiksborg () is a Danish non-hereditary substantive title of nobility, which Queen Margrethe II of Denmark created for her former daughter-in-law, Alexandra.
The title refers to Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød, the largest Re ...
().
As term of endearment
In some cases, "Princess" is used as a term of endearment to express love for a woman. For example, throughout the 1997 film ''
Life Is Beautiful'' the protagonist Guido calls his beloved Dora "Principessa", Italian for "Princess".
See also
*
British princess
*
Indian princess
The Indian princess is usually a Stereotypes of indigenous peoples of Canada and the United States, stereotypical and inaccurate representation of a Native Americans in the United States, Native American or other Indigenous peoples of the America ...
*
List of fictional princesses
This is a list of fictional princesses that have appeared in various works of fiction. This list is organized by medium and limited to well-referenced, notable examples of fictional princesses.
Literature
''This section contains examples of bo ...
*
Lists of princesses
A list of princesses may refer to:
People
*List of Princesses of Condé
*List of princesses of Greece
*List of princesses by marriage of Greece
*Hanoverian princess by marriage
*List of Princesses of Liechtenstein
*List of Princesses of Orange
*L ...
References
{{Authority control
Royal titles
Noble titles
Women's social titles