History Main / TheEvilPrince

* ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'' has both Evil Princes and Evil Princesses. In ''Mossflower'' Tsarmina Greeneyes usurps the throne from her brother (displaying ultimate ignorance of point #3 in the EvilOverlordList), and in ''Marlfox'' various members of the seven offspring of the titular villainous royal family are constantly attempting to backstab their siblings and mother.

** [[spoiler:Prince Hans]] in ''Disney/{{Frozen}}.''
*** [[spoiler: Prince Hans isn't really a straight example, since his ambitions range to outside of his kingdom.]]

-->-- '''Creator/NiccoloMachiavelli''', ''ThePrince''

* Wang Sau-Leian in ChungKuo has to wait for his father and three older brothers to die before ascending the throne - but why wait?

* In VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds, [[spoiler: Princess Hilda]] is revealed to be the BigBad, with Yuga merely serving as her [[TheDragon dragon]]. [[spoiler: Subverted in the end, as she [[WellIntentionedExtremist was only trying to restore her land after its own version of the Triforce had been destroyed, leaving it on the brink of doom.]] Ultimately, she never meant any harm in her actions. The same, however, [[TheStarscream could not be said of Yuga]].]]

** [[spoiler:Prince Hans]] in ''Disney/{{Frozen}}.

** [[spoiler:Prince Hans]] in Frozen.

* Subverted with Laharl from ''DisgaeaHourOfDarkness''. He ''wants'' to be the EvilPrince, [[NobleDemon but he's not quite as worthy of the "evil" descriptor as he wants to be]].

* As a female example - in {{Drowtales}} not 1, not 2, but a trio of 3 Sharen princesses worked together to overthrow their Queen and Mother. [[spoiler: However she was LeftForDead, organized it in a way that they NeverFoundTheBody, assuming NoOneCouldSurviveThat. Said Queen escaped via GrandTheftMe and is biding her time [[HesJustHiding by hiding]].]]

* ''{{Robocop}}'' makes a modern-day EvilPrince out of the CorruptCorporateExecutive.

** Mahael and Teymuraz are this (as well as being [[EvilUncle evil uncles]]) to Liam-Lajos in ''King Kelson's Bride''. One or both of them are widely suspected of suspected of disposing of Liam's elder brother Alroy previously.

* The Yellow Bastard from ''SinCity'' fits this trope [[UpToEleven and then some]]. As the son of a sadistic senator and heir to the most powerful (and evil) family in the country, he has carte-blanche to do whatever he likes. [[{{Squick}} It includes preying on children.]]

For some reason there are very few Evil Princesses. One explanation is that, perhaps because of [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses the very strong influence of FairyTale (and]] [[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon Disney)]] [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses heroines]], princesses are good characters (though queens may be evil). Another explanation is that royal daughters are usually not in the line of succession and have nothing to gain by disposing of their rivals. The rare princess who does ascend to the throne in this way will invariably be an [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen utter tyrant]].

For some reason there are very few Evil Princesses. One explanation is that, perhaps because of [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses the very strong influence of FairyTale (and]] [[DisneyAnimatedCanon Disney)]] [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses heroines]], princesses are good characters (though queens may be evil). Another explanation is that royal daughters are usually not in the line of succession and have nothing to gain by disposing of their rivals. The rare princess who does ascend to the throne in this way will invariably be an [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen utter tyrant]].

[[folder:Films]]

* Prince Einon from {{Dragonheart}} grows up to be an evil tyrant. It pains his mentor, Bowen, but he must finally accept, that despite his teachings, [[DeceptiveDisciple the kid was always a rotten little punk.]]

* In the DisneyAnimatedCanon:
** Prince John from ''Disney/RobinHood''.
** Scar from ''Disney/TheLionKing'' kills his brother and tries to kill his nephew.
* PrinceCharming from the ''{{Shrek}}'' movies is intended more as a parody of the traditional [[KnightInShiningArmor fairy tale good prince]], but fits this role very well in ''Shrek the Third''.

* Laird from ''Film/ThePrincessAndThePea''.

* ''Film/{{Stardust}}'' has a bunch of evil princes; most notably [[MarkStrong Septimus]]. Well, should we call them evil, when it is in fact tradition to kill off their brothers?

* Louis Mazzini, (eventually) Duke of Chalfont, the cheerfully amoral [[VillainProtagonist 'hero']] of ''KindHeartsAndCoronets''.

** To clarify, he is shown to be a genuinely good and noble prince (a Paladin no less), but then a little something called [[TheUndead The Scourge]] ravages the kingdom. Over the course of his hunt for the Scourge leader Mal'ganis, he gradually develops WellIntentionedExtremist KnightTemplar tendencies, to the point that by the end he is willing to do just about anything if it means saving his people from undeath. He decides to accomplish that by wielding [[UnholyHolySword Frostmourne]], an EmphaticWeapon forged by the Lich King himself. In an ironic twist of fate, Arthas is the one who ends up leading the Scourge against his own former people, and does eventually become king... of the undead.

* From Manga/DragonBall, we have Vegeta, who is nicknamed [[spoiler: the Dark Prince, specifically after his FaceHeelTurn]].