Princess is the feminine form of citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the Consort Of A Prince , or her Daughter s, 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.
As Women have slowly gained more autonomy through European history, the title of princess has become simply the female equivalent of prince and does not necessarily imply being controlled or owned by a prince. 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. The implication is that if the man held the equivalent masculine title, he would have rank over his wife without the necessary Pedigree . For an example of when "princess" still indicates essential Slavery to a prince, see the book ''Princess'', about life amongst the wives of the Saudi Royal Family .
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. 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.
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 pagents. It is from this usage that the relatively new Slang term of "princess" connotes a pampered and selfish girl or young person. The term was used in this last way to describe a character played by actress Molly Ringwald in the adolescent film '' The Breakfast Club '', and Target stores now carry T-shirt s with the word "Princess" for people who want to advertise themselves as demanding of attention or Luxury .
''Princess'' is also a popular Pet name. On the French TV series '' Code Lyoko '', it is the nickname used by Jeremie , Yumi , Ulrich , and Odd to refer to Aelita .
Historical princesses
Present day princesses
- Belgium: Mathilde , Elisabeth , Astrid , Luisa Maria , Maria Laura , Laetitia Maria , Claire and Louise
- Bulgaria: Princess Kalina Saxe-Coburg-Gotha/Sajonia-Coburgo (only daughter of former Tsar Simeon II Of Bulgaria )
- British Commonwealth: Anne , Beatrice , Eugenie , Sophie , Alexandra , Katharine , Marie-Christine and Birgitte .
- Burundi: Esther Kamatari , an emigré of 35 years, who is returning to Burundi to campaign as a potential President
- Denmark: Mary , Alexandra , Benedikte and Elisabeth
- Japan: Masako , Aiko , Kiko , Kako , Mako , Hanako , Yuriko , Nobuko , Akiko , Yohko , Hisako , Tsuguko, Noriko and Ayako.
- Jordan: Basma Bint Talal , an international advocate for children and women, HRH Princess Haya Bint Hussein , HRH Princess Sana Asem , HRH Princess Noor Bint Asem Bin Nayef HRH Princess salha bint Asem Bin Nayef
- Liechtenstein: Marie Aglaë , Sophie , Marie-Caroline , Angela , Marie , Georgina , Tatjana , Isabelle , Margaretha , Maria-Annunciata , Marie-Astrid and Nora .
- Monaco: Antoinette , Caroline , and Stéphanie
- Morocco: Lalla Salma , Lalla Asma , Lalla Hasna , and Lalla Meryem
- Netherlands: Máxima , Catharina-Amalia , Alexia , Laurentien , Mabel , Margriet , Marilene , Annette , Anita and Aimée .
- Norway: Mette-Marit , Ingrid Alexandra , Martha Louise , Ragnhild and Astrid
- Spain: Letizia , Leonor , Elena , Cristina , Pilar and Margarita
- Sweden: Victoria , Madeleine , Lilian , Margaretha , Birgitta , Désirée and Christina
- Uganda: Elizabeth Of Toro of Toro Kingdom , who was the nation's first female Lawyer , a former top model for couturiers, and a former Minister and Ambassador in the government of Idi Amin
- Greece: Marie-Chantal , Maria Olympia , Alexia , Theodora and Irene .
Note: although Greece is a republic following the abolition of the monarchy, these titles are granted as courtesy in certain countries, particularly Denmark , and so are included in this list.
Fictional princesses
- Xena , Warrior Princess
- Anya Smith- Oscar winning role for Audrey Hepburn in the film '' Roman Holiday ''
- Diana of the Amazons, better known as Wonder Woman
- Emeraude from '' Magic Knight Rayearth ''
- Ororo, better known as Storm of the X-Men
- Princess Adora of Eternia , better known as She-Ra
- Ariel from the Disney film '' The Little Mermaid ''
- Jasmine from the Disney film '' Aladdin ''
- Snow White
- Aurora , the Sleeping Beauty
- Belle from the Disney film '' Beauty And The Beast ''
- Cinderella
- Leia Organa of Alderaan
- Lasaraleen Tarkheena from '' The Chronicles Of Narnia '' (actually a noblewoman, but not a princess)
- Eilonwy from the Chronicles Of Prydain
- Ozma , ruler of the land of Oz
- Perdita from Shakespeare's '' The Winter's Tale ''
- Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia, King Lear's daughters
- Garnet Til Alexandros , Final Fantasy IX
- Marle from the video game '' Chrono Trigger ''
- Princess Zelda , namesake character from the popular Nintendo video game
- Princess Peach , of the Super Mario universe
- Princess Daisy , of the Super Mario universe
- Ayeka and Sasami from '' Tenchi Muyo! ''
- Cagalli Yula Athha from the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam Seed and Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny
- Princess Serenity and Chibiusa from '' Sailor Moon ''
- Hana from Ojamajo Doremi Series
- Mermaid Princesses of '' Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch ''
- Melisande in Edith Nesbit 's children's story of the same name
- Princess Fiona from '' Shrek ''
- Mia Thermopolis, princess of Genovia in '' The Princess Diaries ''
- Princess Clara from '' Drawn Together ''
- Princess Kitana of Edenia from '' Mortal Kombat ''
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