Crown prince

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Throngs before the Imperial Palace in Japan awaiting the appearance of Crown Prince Hirohito for the recent proclamation of his official recognition as the heir apparent to the Japanese Imperial Throne - New York Times, 1916. Crowd awaiting Crown Prince Tokyo Dec1916.jpg
Throngs before the Imperial Palace in Japan awaiting the appearance of Crown Prince Hirohito for the recent proclamation of his official recognition as the heir apparent to the Japanese Imperial ThroneNew York Times, 1916.

A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess , which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wife of the person styled crown prince.

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Crown prince as a descriptive term has been used throughout history for the prince who is first-in-line to a throne and is expected to succeed (i.e. the heir apparent), barring any unforeseen future event preventing this. In certain monarchies, a more specific substantive title may be accorded and become associated with the position of heir apparent (e.g. Prince of Wales in the United Kingdom, Prince of Asturias in the Kingdom of Spain and formerly the Dauphin in France). In these monarchies, the term crown prince may be used less often than the substantive title (or never).

Until the late twentieth century, no modern monarchy adopted a system whereby females would be guaranteed to succeed to the throne (i.e. absolute primogeniture). A crown princess would therefore be more likely to refer to the spouse of a crown prince. She would be styled crown princess, not in her own right but by courtesy.

Today, in monarchies lower than royal rank the term "crown prince" is used in English (e.g. Crown Prince of Umm al-Quwain).

Description

The term crown prince is not used in European monarchies where the hereditary sovereign holds a title below that of king/queen or emperor/empress (such as grand duke or prince), although it is sometimes used as a synonym for heir apparent.

In Europe, where primogeniture governed succession to all monarchies except those of the Papacy and Andorra, the eldest son or (more recently) eldest child of the current monarch fills the role of crown prince or princess, depending upon whether females of the dynasty enjoy personal succession rights. Male precedence has been abolished in Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. [lower-alpha 1] [lower-alpha 2] The eldest living child of a monarch is sometimes not the heir apparent or crown prince, because that position can be held by a descendant of a deceased older child who, by "right of representation", inherits the same place in the line of succession that would be held by the ancestor if he or she were still living (for example, Carl Gustaf, Duke of Jämtland was the crown prince of Sweden from 1950 to 1973, as the senior grandson by male primogeniture of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, although the former Prince Sigvard, Duke of Uppland was Gustaf VI Adolf's eldest living son, and Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland his eldest living dynastic son during those years).

In some monarchies, those of the Middle East for example, in which primogeniture is not the decisive factor in dynastic succession, a person may not possess the title or status of crown prince by right of birth, but may obtain (and lose) it as a result of an official designation made on some other legal or traditional basis, such as former crown prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan.

Compare heir apparent and heir presumptive. In Scandinavian kingdoms, the heir presumptive to the crown may hold a different title from an heir apparent: hereditary prince (German: Erbprinz, French: prince héréditaire). It is also the title borne by the heir apparent of Liechtenstein, as well as the heir apparent or presumptive of Monaco. In Luxembourg, the heir apparent bears the title of hereditary grand duke (German: Erbgroßherzog, Luxembourgish: ierfgroussherzog); along with hereditary prince, it was also the title borne by the heirs apparent to the thrones of the grand duchies, sovereign duchies and principalities, and of mediatized princely families in the German monarchies abolished in 1918.

Substantive traditional titles

Many monarchies use or did use substantive titles for their heirs apparent, often of historical origin:

Some monarchies have used (although not always de jure ) a territorial title for heirs apparent which, though often perceived as a crown princely title, is not automatically hereditary. It generally requires a specific conferral by the sovereign, which may be withheld.

Current and past titles in this category include:

Modern Crown Princes and Princesses

Al-Muhtadee Billah of Brunei, he holds the title of Pengiran Muda Mahkota (Crown Prince). 2023 Majlis Ramah Mesra Belait 105.jpg
Al-Muhtadee Billah of Brunei, he holds the title of Pengiran Muda Mahkota (Crown Prince).

Currently, the following states use the term "crown prince" (or "crown princess") for the heirs apparent to their thrones:

In addition; the following heirs apparent to deposed monarchies use the title of Crown Prince as a title used by international courtesy:

Other specific traditions

Hindu tradition (Indian subcontinent):

East Asian traditions:

if the heir apparent is a:songrandson
ChineseHuang Taizi Huang Taisun
Japanese Kōtaishi Kōtaison
KoreanHwangtaeja (황태자)Hwangtaeson (황태손)
VietnameseHoàng Thái TửHoàng Thái Tôn

Southeast Asian traditions:

Equivalents in other cultures:

See also

Notes

  1. Also, 14 other Commonwealth realms
  2. Only applicable to those born after 2011, when the Perth Agreement came into place, later reiterated by the Succession to the Crown Act 2013

Related Research Articles

A prince is a male ruler or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. Prince is also a title of nobility, often hereditary, in some European states. The female equivalent is a princess. The English word derives, via the French word prince, from the Latin noun prīnceps, from primus (first) and caput (head), meaning "the first, foremost, the chief, most distinguished, noble ruler, prince".

An heir apparent or simply heir is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. A person who is first in the current order of succession but could be displaced by the birth of a more eligible heir is known as heir presumptive.

An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of a person with a better claim to the position in question. This is in contrast to an heir apparent, whose claim on the position cannot be displaced in this manner.

The Malay language has a complex system of styles, titles and honorifics which are used extensively in Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Musa Ghiatuddin Riayat Shah of Selangor</span> Sultan of Selangor

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sultanate of Serdang</span> Sultanate in Sumatra

The Sultanate of Serdang was an early modern Malay-Indonesian monarchy, Serdang was founded in 1723 and joined the Republic of Indonesia in 1946. The Sultanate separated from the Sultanate of Deli after a dispute over the royal throne in 1720. Like other kingdoms on the east coast of Sumatra, Serdang prospered due to the opening of tobacco, rubber and oil palm plantations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince of Girona</span> Title accorded to the heir apparent or heir presumptive to the Crown of Aragon

The Prince or Princess of Girona is one of the titles of the heir of the Crown of Spain. The title was historically accorded to the heir apparent or heir presumptive to the Crown of Aragon. Current legislation mandates the title of Prince of Asturias to the heir of the Spanish throne but allows for the use of other traditional titles; the current title-holder, therefore, is Leonor, Princess of Girona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danish royal family</span> Family of the Danish monarch

The Danish royal family is the dynastic family of the monarch of Denmark. While some members of the Danish royal family hold the title of Prince(ss) of Denmark, descendants of Margrethe II additionally bear the title Count(ess) of Monpezat. Children of the monarch are accorded the style of His/Her Royal Highness. The King and Queen are styled Majesty.

A substantive title is a title of nobility or royalty acquired either by individual grant or by inheritance. It is to be distinguished from a title shared among cadets, borne as a courtesy title by a peer's relatives, or acquired through marriage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sultan of Perak</span> Ruler of Perak

The Sultan of Perak is one of the oldest hereditary seats among the Malay states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sultan of Selangor</span> Function and history of the Selangor State Ruler

Sultan of Selangor is the title of the constitutional ruler of Selangor, Malaysia who is the head of state and head of the Islamic religion in Selangor. The current monarch, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah ascended the throne on the death of his father, on 22 November 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monarchy of Denmark</span> Monarchy of the Kingdom of Denmark

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sultan of Kelantan</span> Monarchy which rules the Malaysian state of Kelantan

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharafuddin of Selangor</span> Sultan of Selangor since 2001

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Malaysia practises an elective monarchy, so there is no distinct line of succession to the Malaysian thrones. In the event where the current seat of the throne falls vacant, the Conference of Rulers meet to elect the new Yang di-Pertuan Agong (monarch) from among the rulers of the nine Malay states. The deputy king does not automatically succeed the throne. The election is regulated by Article 32 of the Constitution of Malaysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sallehuddin of Kedah</span> Sultan of Kedah since 2017

Al-Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah is the 29th Sultan of Kedah since ascending to the throne in September 2017 upon the death of his elder half-brother Abdul Halim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tunku Iskandar Abdul Jalil Abu Bakar Ibrahim</span> Deputy Crown Prince of Johor (born 2017)

Tunku Iskandar ibni Tunku Ismail is a member of the Johor royal family who is the Raja Muda of Johor. He is the first son and second child of the current Tunku Mahkota of Johor, Tunku Ismail ibni Sultan Ibrahim and his consort, Che’ Puan Mahkota Khaleeda binti Bustamam. As his father is the heir apparent, upon his birth, Tunku Iskandar becomes second in line of succession to the throne of Johor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah</span> Crown Prince of Pahang (born 1995)

Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah ibni Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah is a member of Pahang royal family who is the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang and heir apparent to the Pahang throne. He is the eldest son of the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and the Tengku Ampuan of Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. He served as the Regent of Pahang while his father reigned as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia from January 2019 to January 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelantan royal family</span> Family consisting of the close relatives of the monarch of Kelantan

The Kelantan royal family consists of the family members of the Sultan of Kelantan. It currently consists of Muhammad V of Kelantan and his close relations.

References

  1. "Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant". The Belgian Monarchy. Archived from the original on 2001-04-17. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  2. "H.R.H. The Crown Prince". www.royalcourt.no. Archived from the original on 2023-09-23. Retrieved 2023-08-15.