Tags
duc de Bourgogne, Duke of Burgundy, fille de France, Fils de France, Infanta of Spain, Infante of Spain, Philippe I Duc d'Orléans, Prince Du Sang
This section on I will show how I render foreign titles. It’s really pretty simple. Except for rare occasions I always render foreign titles in English.
The rare example of when I use the native language to render titles are with the French Monarchy (also Spain and Portugal but more on that in a moment).
First of all in French the title of King is translated as Roi and I never use it. What I do use is the title of Duke which translates to Duc in French.
The title Duc also is accompanied with the article de which in English is the word the. Here is an example…duc de Bourgogne. Bourgogne is translated as Burgundy in English but I always us the English translation for the name of the region.

Philippe I, Duc d’Orléans
A notable Duke of Burgundy is Philip the Bold. In French it’s Philippe II le Hardi duc de Bourgogne. I generally end up with a mish-mash of French and English and will call him Philippe II The Bold, Duc de Burgundy…or Philippe II The Bold, Duke of Burgundy.
An interesting usage is with the Dukedom of Orléans. In French the article de drops the e and uses a d along with an apostrophe when the Dukedom begins with a vowel.
An example is Philip the brother of King Louis XIV. In French it is written as Philippe I, Duc d’Orléans. However, I will also refer to him as Philippe I, Duke of Orléans. I’m wildly inconsistent with this.
French Royals also had the style and rank Fils de France which translates to Son of France for boys and was held by the sons of the kings and dauphins of France. A daughter was known as a fille de France, in English, Daughter of France. In these instances I always use the French translation.
The dauphin, the heir to the French throne, was the most senior of the fils de France and was usually addressed as Monsieur le dauphin. The king’s next younger brother, also a fils de France, was known simply as Monsieur, and his wife as Madame. In these instances I also stick with the French translation.
Another saying for French Royals was Prince/Princess of the Blood. In French this is translated as Prince/Princess du sang is a person legitimately descended in male line from a sovereign. The female equivalent was applied to the daughter of a prince of the blood prince du sang.
As I mentioned Spain and Portugal are similar. They have a concept of Son or Daughter of Spain/Portugal and in their native language it translates to Infante for males and Infanta for women.
Technically speaking, the title Prince and Princess of Spain and Portugal do not exist. In its place Infante and Infanta are used.

Princess Elisabeth de Bourbon of France, Queen of Spain
However, Infante and Infanta are often anglicised and translated as Prince/Princess and they are considered as having the title and rank of a Prince/Princess even if they do not officially use that title. The only Spanish royal using the title of Prince/Princess is the heir apparent or heir presumptive to the throne who usually bears the title Prince/Princess of Austria.
In my work I stick with the Spanish titles of Infante and Infanta of Spain.
Another honorific in Spain is Don and in Portugal it’s Dom.
The female equivalent is Doña and Dona in Portuguese.
In Spanish, although originally a title reserved for royalty, select nobles, and church hierarchs, it is now often used as a mark of esteem for a person of personal, social or official distinction, such as a community leader of long standing, a person of significant wealth, or a noble, but may also be used ironically. As a style, rather than a title or rank, it is used with, rather than in place of, a person’s name.
I tend to completely ignore the usage of Don and Dom and Doña and Dona. As I mentioned I’m very inconsistent!
That is it for now and will continue next with the usage of German titles.