The Prince of Wales is a unique title that is not hereditary and can only be bestowed by the monarch. It is currently held by Prince Charles, but it will be up to him to decide whether to invest his son, Prince William, with the title. Princes are only found in England, and they can hold other titles like dukes or earls, but not all dukes or earls are princes. The late Diana, Princess of Wales, will always be known by her title, even when the next Prince of Wales marries.
The whole concept of titles and royalty is as old as civilization itself. What is now known as Great Britain is made up of England, Scotland and Wales. Add Northern Ireland and you get what is known as the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland was once under English rule. England has always been a monarchy, usually involving princes and a system of nobility.
The kings and princes of England date back to the Saxon kings of the 1800s. In short, England has rarely been without a monarch on the throne. However, the question remains: do these other countries have princes who hold the same position as the Prince of Wales? Not exactly. The Prince of Wales is something of a unique title. It once meant that a man actually had a dominant position. However, when England conquered Wales in 1300, King Edward I of England appointed his infant son and heir, Prince Edward, to the title. It has since been bestowed on the male heir apparent to the English throne.
The title is not hereditary, however, and cannot be passed down. The monarch must “invest” the heir with the title, as Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II invested her son, Prince Charles, with the title. If Charles ever takes the throne, it will be at his discretion whether to invest his son, Prince William, with the title. Otherwise, it would remain vacant.
The princes are still widely known in England, but not in the other countries of Great Britain. Princes are usually direct relatives or descendants of the monarch: brothers, nephews, nieces, etc. While there are members of the nobility in Scotland and Wales, only royalty are princes. Queen Elizabeth did not choose to create a title or style like “Prince of Scotland” or “Prince of Ireland,” nor is it likely she would.
An interesting thing about princes and their titles is that princes can be dukes or earls, or hold other titles, but dukes and earls are not necessarily princes. The Prince of Wales, for example, is also the Duke of Cornwall and Baron Renfrew. This is why his wife Camilla is known as the Duchess of Cornwall. The title of Princess of Wales still belongs to the late Diana, first wife of the Prince of Wales and mother of the heir. She will always be known by that title, even when the next Prince of Wales marries and her wife acquires that title.
There are a number of excellent reference books on the subject of British royalty and nobility, as well as internet sites devoted to it. A good place to start looking for information is www.royal.gov.uk, the official website of the British royal family.
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