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For other uses, see Princess (disambiguation).

Princess is the feminine form of prince (from Latin princeps, meaning principal citizen). Prince, from the Latin root Princeps, is a general term for a Monarch, for a member of a monarch's or former monarch's family and is a Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The Latin word Princeps (plural principes) means exactly 'a prime' Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or her daughters, women whose station in life depended on their relationship to a prince and who could be disowned and stripped of the title if he so chose.

For many centuries, the title "princess" was not regularly used for a monarch's daughter, who might simply be called "Lady" or a non-English equivalent; Old English had no female equivalent to "prince", "earl", or any royal or noble aside from the queen, and the women of nobility bore the title of "Lady".

As women have slowly gained more autonomy through European history, the title of princess has become simply the female counterpart of prince and does not necessarily imply being controlled or owned by a prince. The history of Europe describes the passage of time from humans inhabiting the European continent to the present day In some cases then, a princess is the female hereditary head of state of a province or other significant area in her own right. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state The ancient meaning applies in Europe still to the extent that a female commoner who marries a prince will almost always become a princess, but a male commoner who marries a princess will almost never become a prince, unless his wife has, or is expected to attain, a higher title, such as Queen regnant. In British law a commoner is someone who is neither the Sovereign nor a peer. List of current queens regnant A queen regnant (plural "queens regnant" is qualifying reference to a female Monarch possessing and exercising all of the monarchal The implication is that if the man held the equivalent masculine title, he would have rank over his wife without the necessary pedigree.

In many of Europe's royal families, a king would grant his heirs actual or theoretical principalities to train them for future kingship or to give them social rank. A royal family is the extended family of a monarch. Generally the head of a royal family is a king or queen regnant Social rank or simply rank is a hierarchy based on one's perceived importance in Society. This practice has led over time to many people thinking that "prince" and "princess" are titles reserved for the immediate family of a king or queen. In fact, most princesses in history were not immediate members of a royal family but women who married into it; however, in many cases, a princess would choose someone outside of royalty to wed.

Present day princesses

Note: Although Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and India are Republics following the abolition of their Monarchies, these titles are granted as courtesy. Sophie Countess of Wessex ( née Rhys-Jones, born 20 January 1965 is a member of the British Royal Family, the wife of Prince Edward Earl of Wessex Princess Beatrice of York (Beatrice Elizabeth Mary born 8 August 1988 is a member of the British Royal Family. Princess Eugenie of York ( Eugenie Victoria Helena;; born 23 March 1990 is a member of the British Royal Family and a granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II The Lady Louise Windsor (Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary born 8 November 2003 is a member of the British Royal Family. Katharine Duchess of Kent (Katharine Lucy Mary née Worsley 22 February 1933 is a member of the British Royal Family, the wife of Prince Edward Duke of Kent, Birgitte Duchess of Gloucester (Birgitte Eva (bree-gee-tae; formerly van Deurs born Henriksen 20 June 1946 is a member of the British Royal Family, the wife Princess Michael of Kent (Marie Christine née Baroness Marie Christine Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz 15 January 1945 is a member of the British Royal Family.

Other uses of the term

Widely used as a term of endearment, "princess" has also devolved in mostly American usage to mean any woman of exceptional popularity, such as the "princesses" of high school prom courts and beauty pageants. A term of endearment is a word or phrase used to address and/or describe a person or animal for which the speaker feels Love or Affection. A beauty contest or beauty pageant is a competition based mainly though not always entirely on the physical beauty of its contestants and often incorporating Personality The term can also be used disparagingly to refer to a young woman or girl perceived of as being vain or spoiled. Another variation is "Jewish Princess" which focuses on affluent, free-spending, suburban Jewish women. Jewish-American Princess or JAP is a Pejorative characterization of Jewish-American women PLEASE TAKE NOTE************

Yet another take on the rising popularity of being a "princess" is the gentleness and refined composure associated with the title. It often conjures images of elegance and self-control, and among the younger generations, is a depiction of all things feminine and lovely. In popular culture, the stereotypically ideal relationship between parents and a daughter consists of the mother and father considering their daughter to be their own "little princess. Popular culture (or pop culture) is the Culture — patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance — " A fictional princess typically wears a pink princess gown with ballroom shoes or in other colors.

See also

The subject of the damsel in distress, or persecuted maiden is a classic theme in world literature art and film Princess and dragon is a generic premise common to many Legends and Fairy tales It is not a fairy tale itself but along with Prince Charming, is a

Dictionary

princess

-noun

  1. The female monarch, or wife of a ruler, of a principality.
  2. The daughter of a king, queen, emperor, empress, prince, or another princess.
  3. A beloved girl considered dainty; used as a term of endearment
  4. A young woman considered vain or selfish; a prima donna
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