Prince, from the Latin root princeps, is a general term for a monarch, for a member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in some members of Europe's highest nobility. The female equivalent is a princess.

Historical background

The Latin word prīnceps (older Latin *prīsmo-kaps, literally "first taker"), became the usual title of the informal leader of the Roman senate some centuries before Christ, the princeps senatus.

Emperor Augustus established the formal position of monarch on the basis of principate, not dominion. He also tasked his grandsons as summer rulers of the city when most of the government were on holiday in the country or attending religious rituals, and, for that task, granted them the title of princeps.

The title has generic and substantive meanings:

• generically, prince refers to members of a family that ruled by hereditary right, the title being used to refer either to sovereigns or to cadets of a sovereign's family. The term may be broadly used of persons in various cultures, continents or eras. In Europe, it is the title legally borne by dynastic cadets in monarchies, and borne by courtesy by members of formerly reigning dynasties.
• as a substantive title, a prince was a monarch of the lowest rank in post-Napoleonic Europe, e.g. Princes of, respectively, Andorra, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Mingrelia, Monaco, Waldeck and Pyrmont, Wallachia, etc.
• also substantively, the title was granted by popes and secular monarchs to specific individuals and to the heads of some high-ranking European families who, however, never exercised dynastic sovereignty and whose cadets are not entitled to share the princely title, e.g. de Beauvau-Craon, Colonna, von Bismarck, von Dohna-Schlobitten, von Eulenburg, de Faucigny-Lucinge, von Lichnowsky, von Pless, Ruffo di Calabria, (de Talleyrand) von Sagan, van Ursel, etc.
• generically, cadets of some non-sovereign families whose head bears the non-dynastic title of prince (or, less commonly, duke) were sometimes also authorized to use the princely title, e.g. von Carolath-Beuthen, de Broglie, Demidoff di San Donato, Lieven, de Mérode, Pignatelli, Radziwill, von Wrede, Yussopov, etc.
• substantively, the heirs apparent in some monarchies use a specific princely title associated with a territory within the monarch's realm, e.g. the Princes of, respectively, Asturias (Spain), Grao Para (Brazil, formerly), Orange (Netherlands), Viana (Navarre, formerly), Wales (UK), etc.
• substantively, it became the fashion from the 17th century for the heirs apparent of the leading ducal families to assume a princely title, associated with a seigneurie in the family's possession. These titles were borne by courtesy and preserved by tradition, not law, e.g. the princes de, respectively, Bidache (Gramont), Marcillac (La Rochefoucauld), Tonnay-Charente (Mortemart), Poix (Noailles), Léon (Rohan-Chabot),

Prince as generic for ruler

The original, but now less common use of the word, originated in the application of the Latin word princeps, from Roman, more precisely Byzantine law, and the classical system of government that was the European feudal society. In this sense, a prince is a ruler of a territory which is sovereign, or quasi-sovereign, i.e., exercising substantial (though not all) prerogatives associated with monarchs of independent nations, as was common, for instance, within the historical boundaries of the Holy Roman Empire. In medieval and Early Modern Europe, there were as many as two hundred such territories, especially in Italy and Germany. In this sense, "prince" is used of any and all rulers, regardless of actual title or precise rank. This is the Renaissance use of the term found in Niccolò Machiavelli famous work, Il Principe.

As a title, by the end of the medieval era, prince was borne by rulers of territories that were either substantially smaller than or exercised fewer of the rights of sovereignty than did emperors and kings. A lord of even a quite small territory might come to be referred to as a prince before the 13th century, either from translations of a native title into the Latin princeps (as for the hereditary ruler of Wales), or when the lord's territory was allodial. The lord of an allodium owned his lands and exercised prerogatives over the subjects in his territory absolutely, owing no feudal homage or duty as a vassal to a liege lord, nor being subject to any higher jurisdiction. Most small territories designated as principalities during feudal eras were allodial, e.g. the Princedom of Dombes.

Lords who exercised lawful authority over territories and people within a feudal hierarchy were also sometimes regarded as princes in the general sense, especially if they held the rank of count or higher. This is attested in some surviving styles for e.g., British earls, marquesses, and dukes are still addressed by the Crown on ceremonial occasions as high and noble princes (cf. Royal and noble styles).

In parts of the Holy Roman Empire in which primogeniture did not prevail (i.e. Germany), all legitimate agnates had an equal right to the family's hereditary titles. While this meant that offices, such as emperor, king, and elector could only be legally occupied by one dynast at a time, holders of such other titles as duke, margrave, landgrave, count palatine, and prince could only differentiate themselves by adding the name of their appanage to the family's original title. Not only did this tend to proliferate unwieldy titles (e.g. Princess Katherine of Anhalt-Zerbst ane Karl, Count Palatine of Zweibrucken-Neukastell-Kleeburg), but as agnatic primogeniture gradually became the norm in the Holy Roman Empire by the end of the eighteenth century, another means of distinguishing the monarch from other members of his dynasty became necessary. Gradual substitution of the title of Prinz for the monarch's title of Fürst occurred, and became customary in all German dynasties except in the grand duchies of Mecklenburg and Oldenburg. Both Prinz and Fürst are translated into English as "prince", but they reflect not only different but mutually exclusive terms.

This distinction had evolved before the eighteenth century (in most families: Liechtenstein long remained an exception, cadets and females using Fürst/Fürstin into the 19th century) for dynasties headed by a Fürst in Germany. The custom spread through the Continent to such an extent that a renowned imperial general who belonged to a cadet branch of a reigning ducal family, remains best known to history by the generic dynastic title, Prince Eugene of Savoy. Note that the princely title was used as a prefix to his Christian name, which also became customary.

Cadets of France's princes étrangers began to affect similar usage but when, for example, the House of La Tour d'Auvergne's ruling dukes of Bouillon, attempted to use the same style, it was initially resisted by historians such as Père Anselme -- who, however, willingly recognized use of territorial titles, i.e. he accepts that the ducal heir apparent is known as prince de Bouillon, but would record in 1728 only that the heir's cousin, the comte d'Oliergues was "known as the Prince Frederick" ("dit le prince Frédéric").

The post-medieval rank of gefürsteter Graf (princely count) embraced but elevated the German equivalent of the intermediate French, English and Spanish nobles. In Germany, these nobles rose to dynastic status by preserving from the Imperial crown (de jure after the Peace of Westphalia in 1648) the exercise of such sovereign prerogatives as the minting of money; the muster of military troops and the right to wage war and contract treaties; local judicial authority and constabular enforcement; and the habit of inter-marrying with sovereign dynasties. Eventually, these titles came to be more highly valued than that of Fürst itself, and by the 19th century, their cadets would become known as Prinzen.

Prince of the blood

The husband of a queen regnant is usually nowadays titled prince or prince consort, whereas the wives of male monarchs take the female equivalent of their husbands' title -- the same as is used when a female mounts the throne in her own right, such as empress or queen. In Brazil, Spain and Portugal, however, the husband of a female monarch was accorded the masculine equivalent of her title -- at least after she bore him a child. In previous epochs, husbands of queens regnant often shared their consorts' regnal title and rank.

But in cultures which allow the ruler to have several wives (e.g. four in Islam) and/or official concubines, for these women sometimes collectively referred to as harem there are often specific rules determining their hierarchy and a variety of titles, which may distinguish between those whose offspring can be in line for the succeesion or not, or specifically who is mother to the heir to the throne.

To complicate matters, the style His Royal Highness, a prefix normally accompanying the title of a dynastic prince, of royal or imperial rank, that is, can be awarded separately (as a compromise or consolation prize, in some sense).

Although the definition above is the one that is most commonly understood, there are also different systems. Depending on country, epoch, and translation, other meanings of prince are possible.

Over the centuries foreign-language titles such as Italian principe, French prince, German Fürst, Russian kniaz, etc., are usually translated as prince in English.

Some princely titles are derived from that of national rulers, such as tsarevich from tsar. Other examples are (e)mirza(da), khanzada, nawabzada, sahibzada, shahzada, sultanzada (all using the Persian patronymic suffix -zada, meaning son, descendant.

However, some princely titles develop in unusual ways, such as adoption of a style for dynasts which is not pegged to the ruler's title, but rather continues an old tradition (e.g. grand duke in Romanov Russia), claims dynastic succession to a lost monarchy (e.g. prince de Tarente for the La Trémoïlle heirs to the Neapolitan throne, or is simply assumed by fiat (e.g. prince Français by the House of Bonaparte).

Specific titles

In some dynasties, a specific style other than prince has become customary for dynasts, such as fils de France in the House of Capet, and infante in Spain, Portugal, and Brazil (infante was borne by children of the monarch other than the heir apparent, for whom each realm did use a unique princely title, viz, "Prince Imperial" in Brazil, "Prince of Brazil" in Portugal until 1822, and "Prince of Asturias" in Spain).

Sometimes a specific title is commonly used by various dynasties in a region, e.g. Mian in various of the Punjabi princely Hill States (lower Himalayan region in British India).

European dynasties usually awarded apanages to princes of the blood, typically attached to a feudal noble title, such as Britain's royal dukes , the Dauphin in France, the Count of Flanders in Belgium, and the Count of Syracuse in Sicily. Sometimes appanage titles were princely, e.g. Prince of Achaia (Courtenay), prince de Condé (Bourbon), Prince of Carignan (Savoy), but it was the fact that their owners were of princely rank rather than that they held a princely title which ensured their prominence.

*For the often specific terminology concerning a probable future successor, see Crown Prince and links there.

Prince as a substantive title

Other princes derive their title not from dynastic membership as such, but from inheritance of a title named for a specific and historical territory, although the family's possession of prerogatives or properties in that territory may be long past. Such are most of the "princedoms" of France's ancien régime so resented for their pretentiousness by St-Simon. These include the princedoms of , among others.

Prince as a reigning monarch

A prince or princess who is the head of state of a territory that has a monarchy as a form of government is a reigning prince.

Nominal principalities

The current princely monarchies, all small states in Europe, are:

• the principality of Liechtenstein (current reigning prince is Hans-Adam II)
• the principality of Monaco (current reigning prince is Albert II)
• the co-principality of Andorra (current reigning princes are the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and HE Joan Enric Vives Sicília)

Micronations

In the same tradition some self-proclaimed monarchs of so-called micronations establish themselves as virtual princes:

• Roy Bates calls himself Prince Roy of the Principality of Sealand
• Leonard George Casley calls himself Prince Leonard I of the Principality of Hutt River (enclave in Australia)

Princes as representants of a reigning monarch

Various monarchies provide for different modes in which princes of the dynasty can temporarily or permanently share in the style and / or office of the Monarch, e.g. as Regent or Viceroy.

Though these offices must not be reserved for members of the ruling dynasty, in some traditions they are, possibly even reflected in the style of the office, e.g. prince-lieutenant in Luxembourg repeatedly filled by the Crown prince before the grand duke's abdication, or in form of consortium imperii.

Some monarchies even have a practice in which the Monarch can formally abdicate in favor of his heir, and yet retain a kingly title with executive power, e.g. Maha Upayuvaraja (Sanskrit for Great Joint King in Cambodia), though sometimes also conferred on powerful regents who exercised executive powers.

Titular princes

Titular Princes from within the royal family

One type of prince belongs in both the genealogical royalty and the territorial princely styles. A number of nobiliary territories, carrying with them the formal style of prince, are not or no longer actual political, administrative, principalities, but are maintained as essentially honorary titles and are awarded traditionally (or occasionally) to princes of the blood, as an appanage.

This is done in particular for the heir to the throne, creating a de facto primogeniture, who is often awarded a particular principality in each generation, so that it becomes synonymous with the first in line for the throne, even if there is no automatic legal mechanism to do so.

Examples of such titles are:

• The Crown Prince of the United Kingdom of Great-Britain and Northern Ireland: Prince of Wales (Charles, Prince of Wales)
• The Crown Prince of the kingdom of the Netherlands: Prins van Oranje (Willem Alexander, Prince of Orange)
• The Crown Prince of the kingdom of Spain: Principe de Asturias (Felipe, Prince of Asturias)
• The Crown Prince of the kingdom of France: Dauphin de Viennois, then Dauphin de France

Non-dynastic princes

France and the Holy Roman Empire

In several countries of the European continent, e.g. in France, prince can be an aristocratic title of someone having a high rank of nobility in chief of a geographical place, but no actual territory and without any necessary link to the royal family, which makes comparing it with e.g. the British system of royal princes difficult.

The kings of France started to bestow the style of prince, as a title among the nobility, from the 16th century onwards. These titles were created by elevating a seigneurie to the nominal status of a principality -- although prerogatives of sovereignty were never conceded in the letters patent. These titles held no official place in the hierarchy of the nobility, but were often treated as ranking just below dukedoms, since they were often inherited (or assumed) by ducal heirs:

• Prince de Marcillac : heir of the duc de La Rochefoucauld
• Prince de Tingry : heir of the duc de Piney-Luxembourg
• Prince de Lamballe : heir of the duc de Penthièvre

This can even occur in a monarchy within which an identical but real and substantive feudal title exists, such as Fürst in German. An example of this is:

• Otto von Bismarck was called Prince of Bismarck in the empire of reunited Germany, under the Hohenzollern dynasty.

Spain and France

In other cases, such titular princedoms are created in chief of an event, such as a treaty of a victory. An example of this is:

• The Spanish minister Manuel Godoy was created Principe de la Paz or Prince of Peace by his king for negotiating the 1795 double peace-treaty of Basilea, by which the revolutionary French republic made peace with Prussia and with Spain.
• The triumphant generals who led their troops to victory often received a victory title from Napoleon, both princely and ducal.
• King William I of the Netherlands bestowed the victory title of prince of Waterloo upon Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington after his victory over Napoleon I Bonaparte at Waterloo in 1815.

Poland and Russia

In Poland specifically, the titles of prince dated either to the times before the Union of Lublin or were granted to Polish nobles by foreign kings, as the law in Poland forbade the king from dividing nobility by granting them hereditary titles. For more information, see The Princely Houses of Poland.

In the Russian system, knyaz, translated as "prince", is the highest degree of official nobility. Members of older dynasties that were eventually subjected to the Russian imperial dynasty were also accorded the title of knyaz -- sometimes after first being allowed to use the higher title of tsarevich (e.g. the Princes Gruzinsky and Sibirsky. Rurikid branches used the knyaz title also after they were succeeded by the Romanovs as the Russian imperial dynasty. An example of this is:

• Grigori Aleksandrovich Potemkin who was made Prince Potemkin

The title of prince in various Western traditions and languages

In each case, the title is followed (when available) by the female form and then (not always available, and obviously rarely applicable to a prince of the blood without a principality) the name of the territorial associated with it, each separated by a slash. If a second title (or set) is also given, then that one is for a Prince of the blood, the first for a principality. Be aware that the absence of a separate title for a prince of the blood may not always mean no such title exists; alternatively, the existence of a word does not imply there is also a reality in the linguistic territory concerned; it may very well be used exclusively to render titles in other languages, regardless whether there is a historical link with any (which often means that linguistic tradition is adopted)

Etymologically, we can discern the following traditions (some languages followed a historical link, e.g. within the Holy Roman Empire, not their linguistic family; some even fail to follow the same logic for certain other aristocratic titles):

Romance languages

• Languages (mostly Romance) only using the Latin root princeps:
• Latin (post-Roman): Princeps/*Princeps/*
• French: Prince /Princesse - Prince /Princesse
• Catalan: Príncep /Princesa - Príncep /Princesa
• Italian: Principe /Principessa - Principe /Principessa
• Monegasque: Principu /Principessa - Principu /Principessa
• Portuguese: Príncipe /Princesa - Príncipe /Princesa
• Rhaeto-Romansh: Prinzi /Prinzessa - Prinzi /Prinzessa
• Friulian: Princip /Principesse - Princip /Principesse
• Romanian: Prinţ /Prinţesă - Principe /Principesă
• Spanish: Príncipe /Princesa - Príncipe /Princesa

Celtic languages

• Breton: Priñs /Priñsez
• Irish: Prionsa /Banphrionsa - Flaith /Banfhlaith
• Scottish Gaelic: Prionnsa /Bana-phrionnsa - Flath /Ban-fhlath
• Welsh: Twysog /Twysoges - Prins /Prinses

Germanic languages

• Languages (mainly Germanic) that use (generally alongside a princeps-derivate for princes of the blood) an equivalent of the German Fürst:
• Old English: Ǣðeling /Hlæfdiġe
• English:Prince /Princess - Prince /Princess
• Danish: Fyrste /Fyrstinde - Prins /Prinsesse
• Dutch: Vorst /Vorstin- Prins /Prinses
• Estonian [Finno-Ugric family]: Vürst /Vürstinna - Prints /Printsess
• German: Fürst /Fürstin - Prinz /Prinzessin
• Icelandic: Fursti /Furstynja - Prins /Prinsessa
• Luxembourgish: Fürst /Fürstin - Prënz /Prinzessin
• Norwegian: Fyrste /Fyrstinne - Prins /Prinsesse
• Swedish: Furste /Furstinna - Prins /Prinsessa

Slavic and Baltic languages

• Slavic and Baltic languages:
• Belarusian: Tsarevich, Karalevich, Prynts /Tsarewna, Karalewna, Pryntsesa
• Bulgarian: Knyaz /Knaginya, Tsarevich, Kralevich, Prints /Printsesa
• Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian: Кнез/Књегиња or Knez/Kneginja, Краљевић/Краљевна or Kraljević/Kraljevna, Принц/Принцеза or Princ/Princeza
• Czech: Kníže /Kněžna, Princ/Princezna
• Latvian: Firsts /Firstiene - Princis /Princese
• Lithuanian: Kunigaikštis /Kunigaikštiene - Princas /Princese
• Macedonian: Knez /Knezhina, Tsarevich, Kralevich, Prints /Tsarevna, Kralevna, Printsesa
• Polish: Książę /Księżna, Książę, Królewicz /Księżna, Królewna
• Russian: Knyaz /Knyagina Knyazhnya, Tsarevich, Korolyevich, Prints /Tsarevna, Korolyevna, Printsessa
• Slovak: Knieža /Kňažná, Kráľovič, Princ /Princezná
• Slovene: Knez /Kneginja, Kraljevič, Princ /Kraljična, Princesa
• Ukrainian: Knyaz /Knyazhnya, Tsarenko, Korolenko, Prints /Tsarivna, Korolivna, Printsizna

Other languages

• Albanian: Princ /Princeshë - Princ /Princeshë
• Danish: Prins / Prinsesse
• Estonian: Vürst /Vürstinna - Prints /Printsess
• Finnish: Ruhtinas /Ruhtinatar - Prinssi /Prinsessa
• Georgian: თავადი / Tavadi
• Greek (Medieval, formal): Prigkips, Πρίγκηψ/Prigkipissa, Πριγκήπισσα
• Greek (Modern, colloquial): Prigkipas, Πρίγκηπας/Prigkipissa, Πριγκήπισσα
• Hindi: Rājkumār (राजकुमार), Kũwar (कुँवर), both from Sanskrit rāj (royal) + kumāra (a boy)
• Hungarian (Magyar): Herceg / Hercegnő
• Maltese: Princep /Principessa - Princep /Principessa
• Turkish: Prens/Prenses
• Malaysian: Putera / Tuan Putera

The title of prince in other traditions and languages

The above is essentially the story of European, Christian dynasties and other nobility, also 'exported' to their colonial and other overseas territories and otherwise adopted by rather westernized societies elsewhere (e.g. Haiti).

Applying these essentially western concepts, and terminology, to other cultures even when they don't do so, is common but in many respects rather dubious. Different (historical, religious...) backgrounds have also begot significantly different dynastic and nobiliary systems, which are poorly represented by the 'closest' western analogy.

It therefore makes sense to treat these per civilization.

Islamic traditions

• Arabian tradition since the caliphate - in several monarchies it remains customary to use the title Sheikh (in itself below princely rank) for all members of the royal family. In families (often reigning dynasties) which claim descent from Muhammad, this is expressed in either of a number of titles (supposing different exact relations): sayid, sharif; these are retained even when too remote from any line of succession to be a member of any dynasty.
• Malay countries
• In the Ottoman empire, the sovereign of imperial rank (incorrectly known in the west as (Great) sultan) was styled padishah with a host of additional titles, reflecting his claim as political successor to the various conquered states. Princes of the blood, male and female, were given the style sultan (normally reserved for Muslim rulers)
• Persia (Iran) - Princes as members of a Royal family, are referred to by the title Shahzadeh, meaning "descendant of the king". Since the word zadeh could refer to either a male or female descendant, Shahzadeh had the parallel meaning of "princess" as well. Princes can also be sons of provincial kings (Khan) and the title referring to them would be the title of Khanzadeh. Princes as people who got a title from the King are called "Mirza", diminutive of "Amir Zadeh" (King's Son).

East Asian traditions

• China

In ancient China, the title of prince developed from being the highest title of nobility (synonymous with duke) in the Zhou Dynasty, to five grades of princes (not counting the sons and grandsons of the emperor) by the time of the fall of the Qing Dynasty.The Chinese word for prince 'Wang' 王 literally means King as Chinese believe the emperor 'huangdi'皇帝 is the ruler of all kings. The most accurate translation of the English word 'prince' in Chinese is 皇子（son of the Emperor) or 王子 (son of the King).

• Japan

In Japan, the title of prince (kôshaku 公爵) was used as the highest title of kazoku (華族 Japanese modern nobility) before the present constitution. The title kôshaku, however, is more commonly translated as duke to avoid confusion with the royal ranks in the imperial household, shinnô (親王 literally king of the blood), female naishinnô (内親王 literally queen (by herself) of the blood), and shinnôhi 親王妃 literally consort of king of the blood), or ô (王 literally king); female, jyo-ôh (女王 literally queen (by herself)) and ôhi (王妃 literally consort of king). The former is the higher title of a male member of the Imperial family and the latter is the lower.

• Korea
• See princely states for the (often particular, mainly Hindu) title on the Indian subcontinent in (former British) India (including modern Pakistan and Bangladesh) as well as Burma and Nepal.
• Indochina: Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos
• Thailand
• Philippines (Principalia)

African traditions

A Western model was sometimes copied by emancipated colonial regimes (e.g. Bokassa I's short-lived Central-African Empire in Napoleonic fashion). Otherwise, most of the styles for members of ruling families do not lend themselves well to English translation. Nonetheless, in general the princely style has gradually replaced the colonialist title of chief, which does not particularly connote dynastic rank to Westerners, e.g. Swazi Royal Family and Zulu Royal Family.

The title of prince in religion

In states with an element of theocracy, this can affect princehood in several ways, such as the style of the ruler (e.g. with a secondary title meaning son or servant of a named divinity), but also the mode of succession (even reincarnation and recognition).

Furthermore, certain religious offices may be considered of princely rank, and/or imply comparable temporal rights.

See Prince of the Church for the main Christian versions. Also in Christianity, Jesus Christ is sometimes referred to as the Prince of Peace. Other likely titles for Jesus Christ are Prince of Princes and Prince of the Covenant. Further, Satan is often titled the Prince of Darkness; and in the Christian faith he is also referred to as the Prince of this World and the Prince of the Power of the Air. Another title for Satan, not as common today but apparently so in approximately 30 A.D. by the Pharisees of the day, was the title Prince of the Devils.

See also

• Prince du Sang
• Heir apparent and Heir presumptive
• Prince-elector and Prince Regent
• Prince consort and Princess consort
• King consort and Queen consort
• King regnant and Queen regnant
• Crown Prince, Grand Prince and Infante
• First Prince of the Blood
• Fils de France and Petit-Fils de France
• Monsieur and Madame Royale
• Prince of the Church and Cardinal
• Prince-Archbishop, Prince-Bishop and Prince-abbot
• Principality and Princely state
• Auctoritas, Dominate, Potestas and Imperium
• Fürst
• List of British princes and List of British princesses
• Grand Duchy, Grand duke and Grand duchess
• Nobility, Royalty and Royal and noble ranks

References

External links

• Princely States in British India and talaqdars in Oudh
• RoyalArk thorough on a limited number of dynasties.
• World Statesmen select the present state, often navigate within for a former polity.

For other meanings, see Prince (disambiguation). PRojects IN Controlled Environments (PRINCE) is a project management method. It covers the management, control and organisation of a project. "PRINCE2" refers to the second major version of this method and is a registered trademark of the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), an independent office of HM Treasury of the United Kingdom.

History

PRINCE2 is derived from the earlier PRINCE project management method, which was initially developed in 1989 by the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) as a UK Government standard for information systems (IT) project management; however, it soon became regularly applied outside the purely IT environment. PRINCE2 was released in 1996 as a generic project management method. PRINCE2 has become increasingly popular and is now the de facto standard for project management in the UK. Its use has spread beyond the UK to more than 50 other countries.

The most current revision was released in 2005 by the Office of Government Commerce, and it is currently undergoing a refresh for 2008/09.

Description of the PRINCE2 method

Figure 1 shows the processes involved in managing a PRINCE2 project and how they link with each other, creating the normal content of a PRINCE2 project.

Advantages

PRINCE2 is a structured approach to project management. It provides a method for managing projects within a clearly defined framework. PRINCE2 describes procedures to coordinate people and activities in a project, how to design and supervise the project, and what to do if the project has to be adjusted if it doesn’t develop as planned. In the method each process is specified with its key inputs and outputs and with specific goals and activities to be carried out, which gives an automatic control of any deviations from the plan. Divided into manageable stages, the method enables an efficient control of resources. On the basis of close monitoring the project can be carried out in a controlled and organized way. Being a structured method widely recognised and understood, PRINCE2 provides a common language for all participants in the project. The various management roles and responsibilities involved in a project are fully described and are adaptable to suit the complexity of the project and skills of the organisation.

Pitfalls

PRINCE2 is sometimes incorrectly considered inappropriate for very small projects, due to the work required in creating and maintaining documents, logs and lists. However, this may often be because of a misunderstanding about which parts of PRINCE2 to apply: PRINCE2 is fully scalable.

Overview of the method

Diagram showing PRINCE2 processes. The arrows represent flows of information.

PRINCE2 is a process-driven project management method which contrasts with reactive/adaptive methods such as Scrum. PRINCE2 defines 45 separate sub-processes and organizes these into eight processes as follows:

• Starting Up a Project (SU)
• Planning (PL)
• Initiating a Project (IP)
• Directing a Project (DP)
• Controlling a Stage (CS)
• Managing Product Delivery (MP)
• Managing Stage Boundaries (SB)
• Closing a Project (CP)

Starting up a project (SU)

In this process the project team is appointed and a project brief (describing, in outline, what the project is attempting to achieve and the business justification for doing so) is prepared. In addition the overall approach to be taken is decided and the next stage of the project is planned. Once this work is done, the project board is asked to authorize the next stage, that of initiating the project.

SU1 Appointing a Project Board Exec and Project Manager
SU2 Designing a Project Management Team
SU3 Appointing a Project Management Team
SU4 Preparing a Project Brief
SU5 Defining Project Approach
SU6 Planning an Initiation Stage

Planning (PL)

PRINCE2 advocates product based planning which means that the first task when planning is to identify and analyse products. Once the activities required to create these products are identified then it is possible to estimate the effort required for each and then schedule activities into a plan. There is always risk associated with any work and this must be analysed. Finally, this process suggests how the format of plans can be agreed and ensures that plans are completed to such a format.

PL1 Designing a Plan
PL2 Defining and Analysing Products
PL3 Identifying Activities and Dependencies
PL4 Estimating
PL5 Scheduling
PL6 Analysing Risks
PL7 Completing a Plan

Initiating a project (IP)

This process builds on the work of the Start Up (SU) activity and the project brief is augmented to form a Business Case. The approach taken to ensure quality on the project is agreed together with the overall approach to controlling the project itself (project controls). Project files are also created as is an overall plan for the project. A plan for the next stage of the project is also created. The resultant information can be put before the project board for them to authorize the project itself.

IP1 Planning Quality
IP2 Planning a Project
IP3 Refining the Business Case and Risks
IP4 Setting up Project Controls
IP5 Setting up Project Files
IP6 Assembling a Project Initiation Document

Directing a project (DP)

These sub-processes dictate how the Project Board (which comprises such roles as the executive sponsor or project sponsor) should control the overall project. As mentioned above, the project board can authorise an initiation stage and can also authorize a project. Directing a Project also dictates how the project board should authorize a stage plan, including any stage plan that replaces an existing stage plan due to slippage or other unforeseen circumstances. Also covered is the way in which the board can give ad hoc direction to a project and the way in which a project should be closed down.

DP1 Authorising Initiation
DP2 Authorising a Project
DP3 Authorising a Stage or Exception Plan
DP4 Giving Ad Hoc Direction
DP5 Confirming Project Closure

Controlling a stage (CS)

PRINCE2 suggests that projects should be broken down into stages and these sub-processes dictate how each individual stage should be controlled. Most fundamentally this includes the way in which work packages are authorized and received. It also specifies the way in which progress should be monitored and how the highlights of the progress should be reported to the project board. A means for capturing and assessing project issues is suggested together with the way in which corrective action should be taken. It also lays down the method by which certain project issues should be escalated to the project board.

CS1 Authorising Work Package
CS2 Assessing Progress
CS3 Capturing Project Issues
CS4 Examining Project Issues
CS5 Reviewing Stage Status
CS6 Reporting Highlights
CS7 Taking Corrective Action
CS8 Escalating Project Issues
CS9 Receiving Completed Work Package

Managing product delivery (MP)

This process consists of three sub-processes and these cover the way in which a work package should be accepted, executed and delivered.

MP1 Accepting a Work Package
MP2 Executing a Work Package
MP3 Delivering a Work Package

Managing stage boundaries (SB)

The Controlling a Stage process dictates what should be done within a stage, Managing Stage Boundaries (SB) dictates what should be done towards the end of a stage. Most obviously, the next stage should be planned and the overall project plan, risk log and business case amended as necessary. The process also covers what should be done for a stage that has gone outside its tolerance levels. Finally, the process dictates how the end of the stage should be reported.

SB1 Planning a Stage
SB2 Updating a Project Plan
SB3 Updating a Project Business Case
SB4 Updating the Risk Log
SB5 Reporting Stage End
SB6 Producing an Exception Plan

Closing a project (CP)

This covers the things that should be done at the end of a project. The project should be formally de-commissioned (and resources freed up for allocation to other activities), follow on actions should be identified and the project itself be formally evaluated.
CP1 Decommissioning a Project
CP2 Identifying Follow-on Actions
CP3 Project Evaluation Review

Techniques

The PRINCE2 method works with most project management techniques but specifically describes the following:

• Product Based Planning
• Change Control
• Quality Reviews

Exams, accreditation and training

Accreditation is governed by the passing of two exams – the Foundation and the Practitioner. The Foundation exam is a one-hour, multiple choice exam. The Practitioner exam lasts for three-hours, and is an objective-testing multiple-choice exam. Around the world, exams are administered by the APM Group. The successful candidate register can be searched on the web.

It is possible for individuals with project management experience to self-study for the exams but a number of training organisations offer courses, many of which also include exam entry in the fee. There is a mandatory accreditation scheme for training providers, run by the APM Group, which provides them with access to the official PRINCE2 examinations.

PRINCE2 Practitioners must retake the Practitioner exam every 5 years to remain accredited. Trainers must be re-accredited every 3 years and undergo a surveillance check every 12 months.

Scalability

Project management is a complex discipline and it would be wrong to assume that blind application of PRINCE2 will result in a successful project. By the same token, it would be wrong to assume that every aspect of PRINCE2 will be applicable to every project. For this reason every process has a note on scalability. This provides guidance to the project manager (and others involved in the project) as to how much of the process to apply. The positive aspect of this is that PRINCE2 can be tailored to the needs of a particular project. The negative aspect is that many of the essential elements of PRINCE2 can be omitted sometimes resulting in a PINO project – Prince in Name Only. In order to counter this, APM Group have defined the concept of a PRINCE2 Maturity Model.

See also

List of project management topics

References

External links

• Official website
• The APM Group PRINCE2 website
• The OGC officially recognised user group