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( Principality)
A principality (or princedom) is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or (in the widest sense) a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince. Some have never been an actual polity, but simply a territorial denomination in chief of which a princely style is held, with or even without an often more modest estate or income, both of which may even be (at least partially) outside the geographical confines of the principality. Surviving sovereign principalities are Liechtenstein, Monaco, and the co-principality of Andorra. Extant royal primogenitures styled principality include Asturias (Spain), and Wales (UK). The term "principality" is often used informally to describe Wales as it currently exists, but this has no constitutional basis. The Principality of Wales existed in the northern and western parts of Wales between the 13th and 16th centuries; the Laws in Wales Act of 1536 which legally incorporated Wales within England (until the 20th century) removed the distinction between that area and the March of Wales, but no principality covering the whole of Wales was created thereafter. Since that time, the title Prince of Wales (together with Duke of Cornwall) has been a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, but it confers no responsibilities for government in Wales.[1] The term is also sometimes used as a generic term for any monarchy, especially for other small sovereign states ruled by a Monarch of a lesser rank (compare Fürst) than King, for instance grand duchies, whose monarch is a Grand Duke or Duchess. No sovereign duchy currently exists, but Luxembourg is a surviving example of a sovereign grand duchy. Historically there have been sovereign principalities of many ruler styles, such as Countships, Margraviates and even Lordships.
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