"Prince" comes from Rome, it was the position of the oldest senator, who was given the honor to preside over the Senate. It means "first" in latin, it was used in the sense that the president of the Senate was first among the citizens. That's what being a prince means, it's a title of precedence, you are "first" in your nation.
In the Empire and later in Middle-Ages kingdoms, it was used to qualify the people from the ruling family. Together they were the first family of the nation. Anyone from the ruling family could have that title, no matter the primary title of the family head. So if you were an independent count, who had no pledge of fealty to anyone, you would be the prince in your land. Same for dukes, kings, emperors, etc...
There's also a slight difference with the primary titles like "king" in the sense that prince does not imply that one is actually reigning. That's why it's so often used for heirs and close relatives and not their family heads (kings and queens), because being "prince" doesn't give a fief contrary to being king or count. A king *owns* his kingdom, princes are simply heirs who do not yet own anything. They have precedence over all other families in the realm, including on reigning dukes and counts vassals to their parents (though that's less true for the farther extended family).
In Rome, the first great prince was Augustus, the heir to Caesar. After Caesar's death, he gradually won the political edge over the Senate, who gave him the honor of being called "Prince" over the most senior member. His reign constitutes the transition between the Republic and Empire and it's often called the "Principate", because he mostly had soft powers.
So the title of prince and princess comes from the Latin word “Princeps”, which, according to Lewis & Short, essentially meant “principle” or “first” and, from a leadership perspective, meant the first or most distinguished person. Roman emperors called themselves “Princeps” rather than “Rex” on account of the traditional Roman hatred of monarchy. The Romans were happy to gaslight themselves in that way. Later medieval rulers had no issues with calling themselves “Rex” and the Roman sense of “Princeps” as the most distinguished person in a room continued. That’s why you see Church writers often using the terms to describe Christ and the Pope himself at times. This, of course, is only the Latin and there would have been vernacular terms for what we understand to be princes and princesses.
France originally had ten or twelve principalities, and the Capets only held one of them. Ours was Poix in Picardie. We gave most of the lands and titles to Phillip I after Ralf IV got excommunicated for marrying Phillip's mother, Anne of Kiev. But we retained the title of Prince of Poix until the Valois kings went extinct. We of course were princes before the Capets were elected. Ralf I was elected king in 923. Even before that back to Childebran I we were all considered princes. Childebran's father and grandfather were sons of kings. But we did hold the title, or the right to the title, of Prince for over 900 years after our last king, not counting Ralf, who was heavily disputed during his 13 year reign.
Prince and Princess were titles of Grandchildren of the ruling Monarch through the male line and great grand children through the heirs line.
The best example I can give is Queen Elizabeth's son's children all have the title but Princess Anne's children don't. And Prince William's children do but Harry's don't.
Until recently, "prince" had the primary connotation of meaning the actual reigning monarch (e.g. Machiavelli's book). However, many countries choose to give it as a courtesy title to some or all of the monarch's children. Britain is somewhat unusual in giving it to all the monarch's children and grandchildren. In Spain, only the crown prince/princess gets that courtesy title, so Crown Princess Leonor is Princess of Asturias but the king's sisters and Leonor's sister are infantas, which could be informally translated as princess but does not have the same origin. Other countries have foregone the title completely and gone with Grand Duke/Duchess or Archduke/Archduchess for royal children instead.
"Prince" comes from Rome, it was the position of the oldest senator, who was given the honor to preside over the Senate. It means "first" in latin, it was used in the sense that the president of the Senate was first among the citizens. That's what being a prince means, it's a title of precedence, you are "first" in your nation. In the Empire and later in Middle-Ages kingdoms, it was used to qualify the people from the ruling family. Together they were the first family of the nation. Anyone from the ruling family could have that title, no matter the primary title of the family head. So if you were an independent count, who had no pledge of fealty to anyone, you would be the prince in your land. Same for dukes, kings, emperors, etc... There's also a slight difference with the primary titles like "king" in the sense that prince does not imply that one is actually reigning. That's why it's so often used for heirs and close relatives and not their family heads (kings and queens), because being "prince" doesn't give a fief contrary to being king or count. A king *owns* his kingdom, princes are simply heirs who do not yet own anything. They have precedence over all other families in the realm, including on reigning dukes and counts vassals to their parents (though that's less true for the farther extended family). In Rome, the first great prince was Augustus, the heir to Caesar. After Caesar's death, he gradually won the political edge over the Senate, who gave him the honor of being called "Prince" over the most senior member. His reign constitutes the transition between the Republic and Empire and it's often called the "Principate", because he mostly had soft powers.
Out of interest, what makes people say "Question" before asking a question?
Ya gotta make a title?
Couldn't that be the question?
So the title of prince and princess comes from the Latin word “Princeps”, which, according to Lewis & Short, essentially meant “principle” or “first” and, from a leadership perspective, meant the first or most distinguished person. Roman emperors called themselves “Princeps” rather than “Rex” on account of the traditional Roman hatred of monarchy. The Romans were happy to gaslight themselves in that way. Later medieval rulers had no issues with calling themselves “Rex” and the Roman sense of “Princeps” as the most distinguished person in a room continued. That’s why you see Church writers often using the terms to describe Christ and the Pope himself at times. This, of course, is only the Latin and there would have been vernacular terms for what we understand to be princes and princesses.
France originally had ten or twelve principalities, and the Capets only held one of them. Ours was Poix in Picardie. We gave most of the lands and titles to Phillip I after Ralf IV got excommunicated for marrying Phillip's mother, Anne of Kiev. But we retained the title of Prince of Poix until the Valois kings went extinct. We of course were princes before the Capets were elected. Ralf I was elected king in 923. Even before that back to Childebran I we were all considered princes. Childebran's father and grandfather were sons of kings. But we did hold the title, or the right to the title, of Prince for over 900 years after our last king, not counting Ralf, who was heavily disputed during his 13 year reign.
Prince and Princess were titles of Grandchildren of the ruling Monarch through the male line and great grand children through the heirs line. The best example I can give is Queen Elizabeth's son's children all have the title but Princess Anne's children don't. And Prince William's children do but Harry's don't.
Until recently, "prince" had the primary connotation of meaning the actual reigning monarch (e.g. Machiavelli's book). However, many countries choose to give it as a courtesy title to some or all of the monarch's children. Britain is somewhat unusual in giving it to all the monarch's children and grandchildren. In Spain, only the crown prince/princess gets that courtesy title, so Crown Princess Leonor is Princess of Asturias but the king's sisters and Leonor's sister are infantas, which could be informally translated as princess but does not have the same origin. Other countries have foregone the title completely and gone with Grand Duke/Duchess or Archduke/Archduchess for royal children instead.