Not A Prince...

[Rimbaud]

Prelude:

Main Entry: prince
Pronunciation: 'prin(t)s
Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Latin princip-, princeps - leader, initiator, from primus first + capere to take.

Date: 13th century

1 a : MONARCH, KING b : the ruler of a principality or state
2 : a male member of a royal family; especially : a son of the sovereign
3 : a nobleman of varying rank and status
4 : one likened to a prince; especially : a man of high rank or of high standing in his class or profession
- prince·ship /'prin(t)s-"ship/ noun.

M-W.com (Oh, how I miss my OED)
(Italicised fourth my own)

Only to confirm the earlier propounded thought that prince is not used by Tolkien as meaning 'son of the king' or even, necessarily, nobleman. The clearest example I can see of the lesser meaning being applied is the title bestowed upon Pippin as 'Prince of the Halflings', where the context points the meaning directly at the fourth meaning outlined above.

The term gained a colloquial vogue in older English texts, very often purely referring to the weaker meaning of 'high standing in a class or profession'.

The modern meaning, where people see the title as meaning 'heir' of the king or queen, is, as has been mentioned, peculiarly English, although the custom has spread somewhat. I wonder if anyone here is better informed on why this came about? It certainly was not so in the homelands of the settling/invading folk in Britain, so far as I am aware.