Princess is the feminine form of prince (from Latin princeps, meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or her daughters, 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.Fact: date=October 2007

For many centuries, the title "princess" was not regularly used for a monarch's daughter, who might simply be called "Lady" or a non-English equivalent; Old English had no female equivalent to "prince", "earl", or any royal or noble aside from the queen, and the women of nobility bore the title of "Lady".

As women have slowly gained more autonomy through European history, the title of princess has become simply the female counterpart of prince and does not necessarily imply being controlled or owned by a prince.Fact: date=October 2007 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, unless his wife has, or is expected to attain, a higher title, such as Queen regnant.Fact: date=October 2007 The implication is that if the man held the equivalent masculine title, he would have rank over his wife without the necessary pedigree.Or: date=October 2007

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 but women who married into it; however, in many cases, a princess would choose someone outside of royalty to wed.

Present day princesses

• Belgium: Mathilde, Elisabeth, Astrid, Luisa Maria, Maria Laura, Laetitia Maria, Claire, Louise, Léa, Marie-Christine, Maria-Esmeralda

• Bulgaria: Miriam, Rosario, Mafalda, Olimpia, Carla, María, Sofia, Kalina and Marie Louise.

• Burundi: Esther Kamatari, an émigrée of 35 years, who is returning to Burundi to campaign as a potential president.

• Denmark: Mary, Isabella, Marie, Benedikte and Elisabeth.

• Greece: Marie-Chantal, Maria-Olympia, Alexia, Theodora and Irene.

• Japan: Masako, Aiko, Kiko, Kako, Mako, Hanako, Yuriko, Nobuko, Akiko, Yōko, Hisako, Tsuguko, Noriko and Ayako.

• Jordan: Iman bint Al Abdullah , Salma, Alia, Ayah, Sara, Aisha bint Al Faisal, Aisha bint Al Hussein, Zein, Haya Bint Al Hussein, Rym, Jalilah, Hayah bint Hamzah, Fahdah, Hala, Iman bint Al Hussein, Raiyah, Muna, Sarvath, Rahma, Sumaya, Badiya, Basma, Sana, Yasmine, Sarah, Noor, Salha and Nejla.