Royal Highness facts for kids
Royal Highness is a special way to address or talk about members of a royal family. It's like a formal title used for princes and their wives. This title is usually given to royal family members who are not the main king or queen.
The term "Royal Highness" first appeared a long time ago. A French prince named Gaston, Duke of Orléans, who was the younger son of King Henry IV of France, started using it. He found this way of addressing people in Brussels and decided to use it for himself. Later, his children also used this title, believing it was their right as grandchildren of the French king.
In most countries, "Royal Highness" is a very important title. However, in Denmark, only the children of the king or queen and the children of the crown prince (the next in line to the throne) use the full "Royal Highness" title. Other grandchildren of the Danish monarch use a slightly different title, just "Highness", like Princess Elisabeth of Denmark.
Who Uses "Royal Highness" Today?
Many royal families around the world still use the "Royal Highness" title. It helps show who is a direct member of the royal family and their place in the royal line.
Examples from Different Countries
- His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales: Before he became King, Charles III was known by this title as the next in line to the British throne.
- Her Royal Highness Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Duchess of Brabant: She is the first in line to the throne in Belgium.
- Her Royal Highness The Princess of Asturias: This is the title for the first in line to the throne in Spain.
- His Royal Highness The Crown Prince of Greece, Prince of Denmark, Duke of Sparta: Even though Greece is now a Republic (meaning it doesn't have a king or queen), this title is still used out of politeness for the eldest son of the former Greek king. It's not an official title in Greece anymore, but it's used as a sign of respect.
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