Why Tom Riddle isn't the "Prince"

[Wanda Sherratt]

No: HPFGUIDX 103733

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pandrea100" <pandrea100 at h...> 
wrote:
> 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.

I very much hope Book 6 doesn't revolve around some political, 
dynastic struggle within the wizarding world.  I thought all the 
detailing of bureaucratic bungling and government corruption in Book 
5 nearly ground the story to a halt.  I'm not interested in moving 
up from that to something that will involve inheritance laws or 
universal suffrage.
> 
> 
> 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 don't see the terms as being all that exclusionary.  Lord and 
Prince can be used to describe the same person; how many different 
titles does Jesus have?  King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Prince of 
Peace (and that's just going by memory from the Hallelujah 
Chorus!).  Whoever the HBP is, that could be a title he gives 
himself, or that his followers give him, or even that his enemies 
give him.  It could be said with a sneer, rather than in admiration.

Wanda