The Life of an Ancient Egyptian Princess

What do we know?

Nobleman on a hunt with his daughter and wife. (Image courtesy of the British Museum)

Princess. The word is ripe with meaning and subtext in western consciousness. Because of that, female members of aristocratic and monarchal families are often fantasized about.

That can lead to controversial decisions, such as labelling a Native American chieftain’s daughter a “princess” (Looking at you Disney). But it can also lead to interesting discussions of what life was like for people whose voices weren’t often heard throughout history.

Over on the AskHistorians Sub-Reddit, I was asked a question regarding Egyptian Princesses.

What exactly would a royal young woman in Ancient Egypt spend her day doing?

Education & Responsibility

First, let’s get the title out of the way.

What we might call a “Princess” would be called a “King’s Daughter” in Egypt. For this article, I’ll use the more familiar “princess” to describe the office.

They might also serve the role of “King’s Great Wife,” which could mean either they had the responsibility to act as a sort of First Lady in Egypt or they literally married their fathers…

The good news is the former is more likely to be correct due to the absence of children between the father and…