Why Tom Riddle isn't the "Prince"

[pandrea100]

No: HPFGUIDX 103683

I've seen it argued that although JK sez Voldemort isn't the Prince, 
Tom Riddle as a somewhat separate entity could be.  However, what is 
a prince?  Either a hereditary title - a real prince and part of a 
royal family - or a honorary title adopted by/given to a self-
important person.

Now, if it's the former, which I feel is unlikely as we've seen his 
parents' home and there's no suggestion of a royal link, then Tom 
Riddle changing his name wouldn't affect his title.  If Prince 
Charles decided he wanted to be known as Norman, he would still be 
the heir to the throne, unless he abdicated (which someone as 
ambitious as Tom would never do).

If it's the latter, then we have Tom being known first as a prince, 
then changing his name to Voldemort, but demoting himself by asking 
his followers to call him LORD Voldemort, Lord being lower than a 
prince.  That seems really unlikely.  

I also think that a modern-day prince is unlikely in the wizarding 
world as we know it so far - even going back a few decades to Tom's 
youth.  So I think the prince is either someone from the past (eg 
Godric Gryffindor) or someone from another country (unlikely given 
we've already had overseas visitors in GoF but on the other hand, 
VERY much in the tradition of British boarding school fiction which 
JK is to some extent working in: Greyfriars, the Chalet School, 
Malory Towers, etc etc, they all had princes/princesses as pupils at 
times).

Really trying to resist making a "wizard formerly known as Prince" 
joke here ...