Princess
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'''Princess''' is the feminine form of [[prince]] (from [[Latin]] ''[[princeps]]'', meaning [[:wikt:principal|principal]] citizen). 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.{{Fact|date=October 2007}}
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 language|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 [[History of Europe|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.{{Fact|date=October 2007}} In some cases then, a princess is the female hereditary [[head of state]] of a province or other significant area in her own right. 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]].{{Fact|date=October 2007}} The implication is that if the man held the equivalent masculine title, he would have rank over his wife without the necessary [[pedigree]].{{Or|date=October 2007}}
In many of Europe's [[Royal family|royal families]], a [[monarch|king]] would grant his heirs actual or theoretical principalities to train them for future kingship or to give them [[social rank]]. 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==
{{Cleanup-laundry|date=January 2008}}
*'''Belgium:''' [[Princess Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant|Mathilde]], [[Princess Elisabeth of Belgium|Elisabeth]], [[Princess Astrid, Archduchess of Austria-Este|Astrid]], [[Princess Luisa Maria, Archduchess of Austria-Este|Luisa Maria]], [[Princess Maria Laura, Archduchess of Austria-Este|Maria Laura]], [[Princess Laetitia Maria, Archduchess of Austria-Este|Laetitia Maria]], [[Princess Claire of Belgium|Claire]], [[Princess Louise of Belgium|Louise]], [[Princess Léa of Belgium|Léa]], [[Princess Marie-Christine of Belgium|Marie-Christine]], [[Princess Maria-Esmeralda of Belgium|Maria-Esmeralda]]
*'''Bulgaria:''' [[Kardam, Prince of Turnovo|Miriam]], [[Kyrill, Prince of Preslav|Rosario]], [[Princess Mafalda of Bulgaria|Mafalda]], [[Princess Olimpia of Bulgaria|Olimpia]], [[Kubrat, Prince of Panagiurishte|Carla]], [[Konstantin-Assen, Prince of Vidin|María]], [[Princess Sofia of Bulgaria|Sofia]], [[Princess Kalina of Bulgaria|Kalina]] and [[Princess Marie Louise of Bulgaria|Marie Louise]].
*'''Burundi:''' [[Esther Kamatari]], an émigrée of 35 years, who is returning to [[Burundi]] to campaign as a potential [[president]].
*'''Denmark:''' [[Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark|Mary]], [[Princess Isabella of Denmark|Isabella]], [[Princess Marie of Denmark|Marie]], [[Princess Benedikte of Denmark|Benedikte]] and [[Princess Elisabeth of Denmark|Elisabeth]].
*'''Greece:''' [[Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece|Marie-Chantal]], [[Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark|Maria-Olympia]], [[Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark|Alexia]], [[Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark|Theodora]] and [[Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark|Irene]].
*'''India:''' [[Princess Mridula Krishnan]].
* '''Japan:''' [[Masako, Crown Princess of Japan|Masako]], [[Aiko, Princess Toshi|Aiko]], [[Princess Akishino|Kiko]], [[Princess Kako of Akishino|Kako]], [[Princess Mako of Akishino|Mako]], [[Princess Hitachi|Hanako]], [[Princess Mikasa|Yuriko]], [[Princess Tomohito of Mikasa|Nobuko]], [[Princess Akiko|Akiko]], [[Princess Yōko of Mikasa|Yōko]], [[Princess Takamado|Hisako]], [[Princess Tsuguko|Tsuguko]], [[Princess Noriko of Takamado|Noriko]] and [[Princess Ayako of Takamado|Ayako]].
* '''Jordan:''' [[Princess Iman bint Al Abdullah II|Iman bint Al Abdullah ]], [[Princess Salma bint Al Abdullah II|Salma]], [[Princess Alia bint Al Hussein|Alia]], Ayah, [[Princess Sara bint Al Faisal|Sara]], [[Princess Aisha bint Al Faisal|Aisha bint Al Faisal]], [[Princess Aisha bint Al Hussein|Aisha bint Al Hussein]], Zein, [[Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein|Haya Bint Al Hussein]], Rym, Jalilah, Hayah bint Hamzah, Fahdah, Hala, [[Princess Iman bint Al Hussein|Iman bint Al Hussein]], [[Princess Raiyah bint Al Hussein|Raiyah]], [[Princess Muna al-Hussein|Muna]], [[Princess Sarvath|Sarvath]], [[Princess Rahma bint Al Hassan|Rahma]], [[Princess Sumaya bint Al Hassan|Sumaya]], [[Princess Badiya bint Al Hassan|Badiya]], Basma, [[Princess Sana Asem|Sana]], [[Princess Yasmine bint Al Asem|Yasmine]], [[Princess Sarah bint Al Asem|Sarah]], [[Princess Noor bint Asem|Noor]], [[Princess Salha bint Al Asem|Salha]] and [[Princess Nejla bint Asem|Nejla]].
* '''Liechtenstein:''' [[Marie, Princess of Liechtenstein|Marie Aglaë]], [[Sophie, Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein|Sophie]], [[Princess Marie-Caroline of Liechtenstein|Marie-Caroline]], [[Princess Angela of Liechtenstein|Angela]], [[Princess Marie of Liechtenstein|Marie]], [[Princess Georgina of Liechtenstein|Georgina]], [[Princess Tatjana of Liechtenstein|Tatjana]], [[Princess Isabelle of Liechtenstein|Isabelle]], Princess Astrid, Princess Theodora, [[Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein|Margaretha]], [[Princess Maria-Annunciata of Liechtenstein|Maria-Annunciata]], [[Princess Marie-Astrid of Liechtenstein|Marie-Astrid]] and [[Princess Nora of Liechtenstein|Nora]].
* '''Luxembourg:''' [[Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg|Alexandra]], [[Archduchess Marie Astrid of Austria|Marie Astrid]], [[Princess Marie-Gabrielle of Nassau|Marie Gabrielle]], [[Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg|Sibilla]], [[Elisabeth, Duchess of Hohenberg|Elisabeth]] and [[Alix, Princess of Ligne|Alix]].
* '''Monaco:''' [[Princess Antoinette, Baroness of Massy|Antoinette]], [[Caroline, Princess of Hanover|Caroline]], and [[Princess Stéphanie of Monaco|Stéphanie]].
* '''Morocco:''' [[Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco|Lalla Salma]], [[Princess Lalla Khadija of Morocco|Lalla Khadija]], [[Princess Lalla Asma of Morocco|Lalla Asma]], [[Princess Lalla Hasna of Morocco|Lalla Hasna]], and [[Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco|Lalla Meryem]].
* '''Netherlands:''' [[Princess Máxima of the Netherlands|Máxima]], [[Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands|Catharina-Amalia]], [[Princess Alexia of the Netherlands|Alexia]], [[Princess Ariane of the Netherlands|Ariane]], [[Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands|Laurentien]], [[Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau, Mrs. Van Amsberg|Mabel]], [[Princess Margriet of the Netherlands|Margriet]], [[Princess Marilène of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven-van den Broek|Marilène]], [[Princess Annette of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven-Sekrève|Annette]], [[Princess Anita of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven-van Eijk|Anita]], [[Princess Aimée of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven-Söhngen|Aimée]] and [[Princess Christina of the Netherlands|Christina]].
* '''Norway:''' [[Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway|Mette-Marit]], [[Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway|Ingrid Alexandra]], [[Princess Märtha Louise of Norway|Märtha Louise]], [[Princess Ragnhild of Norway|Ragnhild]] and [[Princess Astrid of Norway|Astrid]].
*'''Romania:''' [[Princess Margarita of Romania|Margareta]], [[Princess Elena of Romania|Elena]], [[Princess Irina of Romania|Irina]], [[Princess Sofia of Romania|Sofia]] and [[Princess Maria of Romania|Maria]].
* '''Spain:''' [[Letizia, Princess of Asturias|Letizia]], [[Infanta Leonor of Spain|Leonor]], [[Infanta Sofía of Spain|Sofía]], [[Infanta Elena of Spain|Elena]], [[Infanta Cristina of Spain|Cristina]], [[Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbón|Pilar]] and [[Infanta Doña Margarita de Borbón|Margarita]].
* '''Sweden:''' [[Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden|Victoria]], [[Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland|Madeleine]], [[Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland|Lilian]], [[Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler|Margaretha]], [[Princess Birgitta of Sweden|Birgitta]], [[Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld|Désirée]] and [[Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson|Christina]].
* '''Thailand:''' [[Ubol Ratana]], [[Bajrakitiyabha]], [[Maha Chakri Sirindhorn|Sirindhorn]], [[Chulabhorn Walailak|Chulabhorn]], [[Princess Bejaratana|Bejaratana]], [[Galyani Vadhana|Galyani]], [[Srirasmi]] and [[Soamsavali Kitiyakara|Soamsavali]].
* '''Uganda:''' [[Elizabeth of Toro]] of [[Toro (kingdom)|Toro kingdom]], who was the nation's first female [[lawyer]], a former top model for couturiers, and a former [[Political minister|minister]] and [[ambassador]] in the government of [[Idi Amin]].
* '''UK and Commonwealth Realms:''' [[Anne, Princess Royal|Anne]], [[Princess Alexandra of Kent|Alexandra]], [[Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall|Camilla]] (styled "Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall although legally a princess), [[Sophie, Countess of Wessex|Sophie]], [[Princess Beatrice of York|Beatrice]], [[Princess Eugenie of York|Eugenie]], [[Lady Louise Windsor|Louise]] (styled as "Lady" although legally a princess), [[Katharine, Duchess of Kent|Katharine]], [[Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester|Birgitte]] and [[Princess Michael of Kent|Marie-Christine]]
Note: Although Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and India are Republics following the abolition of their Monarchies, these titles are granted as courtesy.
==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 contest|beauty pageants]]. The term can also be used disparagingly to refer to a young woman or girl perceived of as being [[vanity|vain]] or spoiled. Another variation is "[[Jewish-American princess|Jewish Princess]]" which focuses on affluent, free-spending, suburban [[Jewish]] women.
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." A fictional princess typically wears a pink princess gown with ballroom shoes or in other colors.
==See also==
*[[Princess (disambiguation)]]
*[[Damsel in distress]]
*[[Princess and dragon]]
[[Category:Princesses| ]]
[[Category:Royal titles]]
[[Category:Noble titles]]
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