Prince — Middle Ages

The story behind the answer

In medieval European monarchies, a king’s sons were typically styled as princes, a royal rank distinct from noble titles like duke or lord. “Heir” describes a person’s position in succession, not a formal title. The designated successor often carried a special style—such as the Prince of Wales in England—while in France the heir was the Dauphin, showing how practices varied across realms.

The term comes from Latin “princeps,” meaning “first” or “chief,” reflecting primacy within the royal family. Not all princes were next in line; younger sons were also princes and might receive dukedoms as courtesy or later life grants. Some states were ruled by princes rather than kings—sovereign principalities like Monaco preserve this tradition to the present.