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{{short description|Title and rank given in the Iberian kingdoms of Spain and Portugal}}
{{italic title}}
{{Redirect|Infanta}}
{{Other uses}}
'''{{lang|es|Infante}}''' ({{IPA|es|iɱˈfante|lang}}, {{IPA|pt|ĩˈfɐ̃tɨ|lang}}; [[grammatical gender|f.]] '''''infanta'''''), also [[anglicised]] as "infant" or translated as "prince", is the title and rank given in the [[Iberia]]n kingdoms of Spain (including the predecessor kingdoms of [[Crown of Aragon|Aragon]], [[Crown of Castile|Castile]], [[Kingdom of Navarre|Navarre]], and [[Kingdom of León|León]]) and Portugal to the sons and daughters (''infantas'') of the king, regardless of age, sometimes with the exception of the [[heir apparent]] or [[heir presumptive]] to the throne who usually bears a unique princely or ducal title.<ref name="petit">de Badts de Cugnac, Chantal. Coutant de Saisseval, Guy. ''Le Petit Gotha''. Nouvelle Imprimerie Laballery, Paris 2002, p. 303, 364–369, 398, 406, 740–742, 756–758 {{in lang|fr}}, {{ISBN|2-9507974-3-1}}.</ref> A woman married to a male ''infante'' was accorded the title of ''infanta'' if the marriage was [[dynasty#dynasts|dynastically]] approved (e.g., [[Infanta Alicia, Duchess of Calabria|Princess Alicia of Bourbon-Parma]]), although since 1987 this is no longer automatically the case in Spain (e.g., [[Princess Anne, Duchess of Calabria|Princess Anne d'Orléans]]).<ref name="petit"/> Husbands of born ''infantas'' did not obtain the title of ''infante'' through marriage (unlike most [[hereditary title]]s of [[Spanish nobility]]), although they were occasionally elevated to the title ''de gracia'' ("by grace") at the sovereign's command.<ref name="petit"/><ref name=heraldica>{{Cite web |url=http://www.heraldica.org/topics/national/infantes.htm |title=The style of Infante {{!}} Infanta de España at Heraldica |access-date=2011-11-09 |archive-date=2017-09-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905072210/http://www.heraldica.org/topics/national/infantes.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

While the title belonged by right to all sons and daughters of a monarch (even when they ceased to be children of the reigning sovereign), it was also often accorded to sons-in-law and male-line grandchildren of the sovereign (e.g., [[Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria]], [[Infante Pedro Carlos of Spain and Portugal]]), sometimes to other [[patrilineality|agnates]] of the ruling dynasty (e.g., [[Infante Enrique, Duke of Seville]]), and to female-line relatives of the monarch (e.g. [[Infante Sebastian of Portugal and Spain]], [[Infante Alfonso, Duke of Galliera|Infante Alfonso de Orléans-Borbón]]).

==History==
Although the title is derived from the same root as "infant", in [[Romance languages]] the term may be more broadly interpreted to mean "child" (cf. French ''[[fils de France|enfants de France]]''), and historically indicated that the ''infante'' or ''infanta'' was the child of the nation's monarch.

Like the ''enfants de France'', all ''infantes'' in the various Iberian kingdoms were [[prince du sang|princes of the blood royal]], although since 1987 the Spanish sovereign may also confer the title ''infantado'' by decree upon a person (typically the spouse of an ''infante'' or ''infanta'') who is not of royal descent.

==Spanish infantes==
{{see also|Infante of Spain}}
[[File:Heraldic Crown of Spanish Infantes.svg|thumb|right|[[Heraldic crown]] of a Spanish ''infante'']]

In the Spanish royal family, the dynastic children of the monarch and of the [[heir apparent]] are entitled to the designation and rank of ''infante'' with the style of [[Royal Highness]] (''infantes by birth''). A second category of ''infantes'' may be granted that title by royal decree (''infantes by grace''), but only bear the style of [[Highness]].<ref>'''Spanish:''' [http://www.boe.es/g/es/bases_datos/doc.php?coleccion=iberlex&id=1987/25284#analisis] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624083619/http://www.boe.es/g/es/bases_datos/doc.php?coleccion=iberlex&id=1987%2F25284#analisis|date=2008-06-24}} The Spanish Royal Decree 1368/1987, the regulation of Titles, Styles and Honors of the Royal Family [[Boletín Oficial del Estado|BOE]], Spanish Official Journal (accessed on October 27, 2008)</ref> Previously, the title and rank of ''infante of Spain'' was often granted to relatives and in-laws of Spain's monarchs, but unlike those created under the 1987 decree, their dynastic wives were automatically ''infantas'' and bearers of the title were ''Royal Highnesses''.

In addition, some distant relatives of Spanish sovereigns, usually children of ''infantes by grace'', were accorded the "honours and treatment" of ''infante'' or ''infanta'', but were not granted the title itself,<ref name="petit"/><ref name="heraldica"/> Included in this category were the children of [[Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies|Infante Carlos de Borbón-Dos Sicilias]]' second marriage to [[Princess Louise of Orleans|Princess Louise d'Orléans]], those of [[Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria|Infante Fernando de Bavaria y Borbón]]'s marriage with [[Infanta Maria Teresa of Spain]],<ref name="heraldica"/> and those of [[Infante Alfonso, Duke of Galliera|Infante Alfonso de Orléans-Borbón]]'s marriage to [[Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]] (e.g., [[Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies|Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Countess of Barcelona]], [[Infante Alvaro, Duke of Galliera|Prince Alvaro de Orléans-Borbón, Duke di Galliera]]).<ref name="petit"/>

===Current infantes of Spain===
The current infantes of Spain are (by precedence):
*[[Infanta Sofía of Spain|Infanta Sofía]] (daughter of King [[Felipe VI of Spain|Felipe VI]] and Queen consort [[Letizia Ortiz|Letizia]], younger sister of [[Leonor, Princess of Asturias]], the heir presumptive);
*[[Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo]] (elder daughter of former King [[Juan Carlos I of Spain|Juan Carlos I]] and former Queen consort [[Queen Sofía of Spain|Sofía]]);
*[[Infanta Cristina]] (younger sister of above);
*[[Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria]] (younger sister of former King Juan Carlos I)

==Portuguese infantes==
{{see also|Infante of Portugal}}
[[File:Coronet of an Infante - Kingdom of Portugal.svg|thumb|[[Coronet]] of a Portuguese ''infante'']]
''Infante'' had no feminine form at first in Portugal and may be compared to the ''infanções'' of the lower [[Portuguese nobility]], who were also [[cadet (genealogy)|cadets]] of their families with no prospect of inheriting the main possessions of the noble families to which they belonged, being  distinguished in law by some prerogatives, but little [[Property|patrimony]].

Later, the word ''infanta'' emerged in Portugal as a feminised form applied to Portuguese princesses after the 16th and 17th centuries. Also, after [[Edward, King of Portugal]], in the 15th century, the heir apparent and his eldest son, or daughter if there was no son, came to be styled "prince" or "princess". The first prince in Portugal was the future [[Afonso V of Portugal|Afonso V]], his eldest son, maybe adopting the French royal style by an English influence imported by [[Philippa of Lancaster]]'s retinue.

After the accession of the [[House of Braganza]] to the throne, the [[honorific]] of "Most Serene" (''Sereníssimo'') was prefixed to the title of ''infante'' (''Sereníssima'' for an ''infanta''), since the complete appellation of this dynasty was "Most Serene House of Braganza" (''Sereníssima Casa de Bragança''), a style granted by the [[Pope]]. The style, however, does not seem to have been used with the title of [[Prince Royal of Portugal|Prince Royal]].

===Current infantes of Portugal===
Portugal has been a republic since 1910. Close relatives of [[Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza]], head of the Portuguese royal house, using the title are:<ref name="petit"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.casarealportuguesa.org/dynamicdata/familiareal.asp|title=Casa Real Portuguesa – A Família Real|access-date=2020-06-19|archive-date=2020-06-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628212638/http://www.casarealportuguesa.org/dynamicdata/familiareal.asp|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Maria Francisca, Duchess of Coimbra|Infanta Maria Francisca, Duchess of Coimbra]]: Duarte Pio's 2nd child;
*Infante Dinis, Duke of Porto: Duarte Pio's 3rd child;
*Infante Miguel, Duke of Viseu: Duarte Pio's 2nd brother

[[Afonso, Prince of Beira]], Duarte Pio's eldest son and heir apparent, is styled [[Prince of Beira]], not ''infante''.

==See also==
* [[Cardinal-Infante (disambiguation)]]
* [[Portuguese monarchy]]
* [[Spanish monarchy]]
* [[Crown prince]]
* [[:Category:Spanish infantes|Spanish infantes]]
* [[:Category:Spanish infantas|Spanish infantas]]
* [[:Category:Portuguese infantes|Portuguese infantes]]
* [[:Category:Portuguese infantas|Portuguese infantas]]
* [[:Category:Leonese infantes|Leonese infantes]]
* [[:Category:Leonese infantas|Leonese infantas]]
* [[:Category:Castilian infantes|Castilian infantes]]
* [[:Category:Castilian infantas|Castilian infantas]]
* [[:Category:Aragonese infantes|Aragonese infantes]]
* [[:Category:Aragonese infantas|Aragonese infantas]]

==Footnotes==
<references/>
{{Spanish royal titles}}
{{Infantes of Spain}}
{{Infantas of Spain}}
{{Infantas of Spain by marriage}}
{{Portuguese royalty}}
{{Portuguese infantes}}
{{Portuguese infantas}}

[[Category:Monarchy of Spain]]
[[Category:Noble titles]]
[[Category:Portuguese language]]
[[Category:Spanish language]]
[[Category:Spanish royal titles]]