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1->''"The blood of dragons flows in your veins, as it does in all royals. You must learn to harness this draconic power wherever you may find it."''
2-->-- '''Xander''', ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates''
3
4There's a reason that the royal family is the one in control of the kingdom. Their [[RoyalBlood bloodline]] is the one with the powers. Their line is associated with magic, telepathy, or some other sort of supernatural ability.
5
6Sometimes this is the product of SuperpowerfulGenetics, other times it's an object passed down, or a ritual that the royals invoke that grants them their powers. Other times it is just handwaved as the DivineRightOfKings with a [[ReligionIsMagic deity granting them their abilities]] (especially if it takes the form of [[MedicalMonarch healing magic]]). It can also result from situations where people with said powers are sought out to join the royal family, petpetuating what is basically an adoptive ruling collective.
7
8A character unexpectedly exhibiting these powers may result in a ReallyRoyaltyReveal.
9
10Subtrope of RoyalBlood and SupernaturalElite, supertrope of MedicalMonarch. Compare to RankScalesWithAsskicking and TheMagocracy. See also HiveQueen, GodEmperor, VampireMonarch, and FisherKing. See also PresidentSuperhero, who usually got into power through democratic means, and PositionOfLiteralPower, where the power is granted by the office itself.
11----
12!!Examples:
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14[[foldercontrol]]
15
16[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
17* ''Anime/AldnoahZero'': Aldnoah, the {{Phlebotinum}} that makes the [[TheEmpire Vers Empire's]] colonies, [[HumongousMecha Kataphrakts]], and Landing Castles run is directly tied to and controlled by the royal family's blood. The whole Martian FeudalFuture caste system is based on Aldnoah activation privileges being genetic.
18* In ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', royal blood is needed to [[spoiler: activate the [[MindControl Coordinate]] and use it to its full potential. Eren Yeager eventually realizes the only reason he was able to use the Coordinate's power at all the first time he triggered it was that the Titan he was in contact with at the time carried royal blood. The Beast Titan's user, Zeke Yeager, also possesses royal blood -- this allows him to control Titans made from taking in his spinal fluid, trigger their transformation by screaming, and grants said Titans the ability to function at night. As it turns out, Zeke possesses royal blood because he's the son of Dina Yeager, Grisha Yeager's (Eren's father's) first wife, who was turned into the very Titan Eren was in contact with when he first used the Coordinate]]. [[spoiler:Even when Eren manipulates Zeke into helping him reach into the Paths to contact the first Titan Ymir Fritz's spirit and convince her to give him the power of the Founding Titan, he still needs Zeke ''alive'' (if not necessarily willing) to control the mindless Titans to initiate the Rumbling. When Zeke is motivated to fight for the world by Armin's words, he's able to subvert Eren's control enough to let several fallen Titan Shifters reconnect to their otherwise mindless bodies to aid the heroes, and Zeke's own willing death by Levi's blade robs Eren of the ability to command the Wall Titans.]]
19* The Sakurada siblings from ''Manga/CastleTownDandelion'' have different super powers ''because'' their father is the king. Why this is so is never explained.
20* The reason members of the royal families in ''Manga/BlackClover'' have such great magical power is that their ancestors stole mana from the elves when they massacred them. It's for this reason that the elves ''especially'' hate royalty.
21* ''Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex'': The Curtanas and the Union Jack spiritual item are magical items that only the Royal Family of Britain can wield due to being based around the concepts of "England's ruler." When used to broadcast the power of Curtana, the Union Jack creates a MassSuperEmpoweringEvent.
22* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'': Invoked, but ultimately averted. During the Frieza Saga, Vegeta believes his BlueBlood makes him the prophecized [[SuperMode Super Saiyan]]. He's proven wrong when he's unable to ascend to defeat Frieza, and it's [[TheRival Goku]], a lower-class warrior, who becomes the first Super Saiyan in a thousand years.
23* The ability of the royal family of Roshtaria to command the [[DoomsdayDevice Eye of God]] in ''Anime/ElHazardTheMagnificentWorld'' is treated as such in-universe but due to the series' SchizoTech, it's implied by characters with a better of understanding of technology that it's keyed to a genetic sequence passed down through the royal family.
24* In ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' the kings of the Ancient Belkan era invoked this trope via [[GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke genetic engineering]], turning themselves and their descendants into OneManArmies, as seen with [[spoiler:Vivio]], who, at ''six years old'', had more raw power than the title character, herself a winner of the SuperpowerLottery.
25* In ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'', members of Ostian royal family exhibit the ability to use something called simply Royal Magic, with which [[TheHighQueen Arika]] is shown to easily break through [[WorldsStrongestMan Nagi's]] barriers. Asuna's [[AntiMagic Magic Cancel]] is implied to be a rare form the power can manifest as.
26* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'': Being a MagicalGirl is in the royal blood with everyone being princesses and passed down from mother to daughter. In regards to the members of the Royal Moon Family, they are the only ones who can fully use the Silver Crystal.
27* ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' Members of the royal family can use a variety of supernatural powers [[spoiler:though, it's later revealed this is due to them forming connections with the sentient royal trees of Jurai, rather than an innate ability.]]
28[[/folder]]
29
30[[folder:Comic Books]]
31* ''ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'': Aquaman's love interest Princess Mera has the ability to manipulate water with her mind that in the New 52, it's revealed to be a trait of the Xebel royal family she hails from. It also turns out that those that marry into her family inherit it as well, which is something her evil betrothed Nereus seeks once he marries her.
32* ''ComicBook/BlackPanther'' The Black Panther is the ceremonial title given to the chief of the Panther Tribe in Wakanda. That nifty cowl is actually his symbol of office. Technically, though, the only truly superhuman abilities the Black Panther has come from a heart-shaped herb, but even the ability to survive imbibing it is a hereditary ability limited to the royal line.
33* ''ComicBook/TheInhumans'': While all members of the Inhuman race have superpowers, those of their Royal Family tend to be the most powerful. May be justified since their culture is big on eugenics, so the guys with the best genes wind up on top.
34* ''ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica'': One issue reveals that [[GoodOldFisticuffs Wildcat]] is descended from royalty, which gives him the power to defeat that story's villain in a ProphecyTwist.
35* ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'': The Asgardian Royal Family tends to have more of and more than just the ordinary Asgardian SuperStrength. Thor's weather powers are inherent, for one thing. Thor's greater strength, however, is because his mother was Gaea, who is somewhat higher on the cosmic scale than the Asgardian royal family, being ''the'' Mother goddess.
36* ''ComicBook/NinjaHighSchool'': Salusians of Royal birth are the only Salusians we see that have SuperStrength. It is downplayed later when we find out that any Salusian with enough money can buy a royal rank, but super-strength is still so rare amongst them that it's statistically more likely to find them in royalty.
37* ''ComicBook/{{The Outsiders|DCComics}}'': Geo-Force and his sister [[ComicBook/TeenTitans Terra]], the children of the royal familt of Markovia, were able to obtain their powers because of their royal bloodline.
38* ''ComicBook/{{PS238}}'': Deconstructed with [[spoiler:the planet Argos]]. Members of their Royal House all have FlyingBrick powers and the most powerful incarnation of the power to boot, and the entire rest of their society has been organized into a feudal-style FantasticCasteSystem where the strength of one's FlyingBrick bloodline is directly tied to one's status in the social hierarchy (non-powered individuals are referred to as 'softies' and are slaves or serfs at best). This state of affairs came to be because, after a BizarreBabyBoom similar to on Earth, the Flying Bricks, being the most common superpower, banded together at some point in the planet's history, forcibly overthrew the previous government(s) and [[WouldBeRudeToSayGenocide 'culled']] all the other superpowers from the planet. {{Civil War}}s between noble houses are implied to be ''extremely'' destructive affairs on all sides, to say nothing of what happens in a SuccessionCrisis of royals.
39* ''ComicBook/TheRoyalsMastersOfWar'': The comic takes place in an AlternateUniverse UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. One where the "Divine Right of Kings" takes on a far more literal meaning.
40* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'': In ''ComicBook/SupermanDoomsdayHunterPrey'', Doomsday, [[WhyWontYouDie an invincible regenerating monstrosity that adapts to anything attacking it to the point of]] NoSell, experiences his first defeat when the royal family of a planet commits mass suicide to merge into a being of PureEnergy (which Doomsday had not yet encountered, and so was powerless against it). Unfortunately, they cast his body into deep space instead of burning it, meaning they were on the receiving end of a CurbStompBattle when it returned. Said royal family had developed limited PsychicPowers through centuries of inbreeding, but it was only through their sacrifice that these powers could be unleashed.
41* ''ComicBook/{{WITCH}}'': The Meridian Royal Family has great magical power passed down from mother to daughter, said magical power being on the level of a PhysicalGod with FisherKing effects on the kingdom itself. This is probably why only Queens like Elyon are allowed to rule, while the only male member of the family (her brother Phobos) is shown to have a much lower power level that he makes up for by being a ManipulativeBastard.
42* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'': [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Originally]] Wonder Woman's powers were not unique to her and all Amazons had the same power source and set, Di and Polly were just more skilled. [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1987 Post-Crisis]] supposedly sticks with this, though only Diana and Hippolyta have the strength, magic level, and items needed to put together Wondy's whole powerset. ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfWonderWoman2016'' makes this explicit, as very very few Amazons are immortal in this 'verse, and of the five that are four are the members of the royal family and Hippolyta has access to incredibly powerful magical items she then gifts to her daughter and heir.
43* ''ComicBook/XWingRogueSquadron'': Brought up with Plourr. Her line was genetically tampered with, and she is very strong, able to fight a Tunroth to a draw -- a Tunroth who jokes that Wookiees let Tunroth win.
44[[/folder]]
45
46[[folder:Fan Works]]
47* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': [[TheHighQueen High Elf Queen]], Celestine Lucross, rules Eostia with the ability to [[{{Seers}} see visions of the future]], a gift that has kept the lands safe for centuries. The reason is that she [[DivineRightOfKings received a favour from the Goddess Laurendau]], which allowed her to hold the title of [[GodEmperor Goddess Incarnate]].
48[[/folder]]
49
50[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
51* Franchise/{{Barbie}} [[WesternAnimation/{{Barbie}} movies]]:
52** In ''WesternAnimation/BarbieInAMermaidTale'', only those of the royal family can spin Merillia.
53** In ''WesternAnimation/BarbieThePearlPrincess'', Lumina has pearl powers because she's a princess.
54* ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013'': Queen Elsa rules Arendelle while sporting the ability to conjure up snow and ice. A scene early in the movie after she accidentally hurts Anna implies that magic goes back several generations in the royal family of Arendelle. However, ''WesternAnimation/FrozenII'' reveals that it stems from Elsa's mother's side, and she is only royal by marriage.
55* Pegasi in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyANewGeneration'' can't actually fly, as the magic allowing them to has been gone for generations; the only exception is the royal family. [[spoiler:It turns out to be a subversion: the royal family can't fly either, and they've been faking it with wires and strategic lighting this entire time.]]
56[[/folder]]
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58[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
59* In ''Film/Aquaman2018'', only Atlantean highborn are capable of breathing in both air and water. Common Atlanteans can only breathe water and must wear water-filled PoweredArmor on the surface. This applies to the highborn of Atlantis, Xebel, and the Fishermen (the princess is shown to breathe air just fine, even though she's a fish person). The Trench can breathe air just fine too, but they're monsters and may not count. We never learn if the Brine King can breathe air since he doesn't come up to witness the duel. Notably, all Atlanteans used to be human, but after Atlantis sank, King Atlan used his trident to modify his people to breathe underwater and handle the cold water and crushing depth. Presumably, he also made the highborn able to breathe air as well.
60* A bit ambiguous in ''Film/{{Krull}}''. Colwyn's ability to control the Glaive (let alone reach into lava to retrieve it) are probably from his status as TheChosenOne, though the parallels to the Sword In The Stone are obvious. Similarly, the minor pyrokinetic powers Lessa demonstrates during the wedding and the ''major'' pyrokinetic powers that Colwyn demonstrates once the wedding is completed may be a function of the wedding ceremony itself, a power of the royal bloodlines, or some combination of the two (i.e., a result of members of the royal bloodlines becoming a mated pair).
61* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:'' While all Asgardians are strong and tough, members of the royal family possess supernatural powers that are inherited, making king Odin, his son Thor, [[spoiler:and daughter Hela]] literal gods among their people (the Allfather, the God of Thunder [[spoiler:and the Goddess of Death]], respectively). His wife Frigga and adopted son Loki who are not connected to Odin by blood have no more innate powers than ordinary citizens. They must rely on their guile and knowledge of magic instead.
62[[/folder]]
63
64[[folder:Literature]]
65* In ''Literature/TheBelgariad'', the only humans who can touch the Orb of Aldur are King Riva and his descendants. Belgarion taking possession of it is his ReallyRoyaltyReveal.
66* ''Literature/TheDaevabadTrilogy'':
67** The Nahid, an extinct bloodline that once ruled the [[OurGeniesAreDifferent djinn]], have a powerful HealingFactor, HealingHands, and the ability to [[{{Omniglot}} understand all languages]], and their blood is a deadly poison to the ''[[EvilCounterpart ifrit]]''. When the [[HalfHumanHybrid ostensibly human]] Nahri heals her wounds in a djinn's presence, it's a combination IAmWho and CoverBlowingSuperpower moment.
68** The King of the Djinn is marked with the Seal of Suleiman, which lets them [[DispelMagic negate]] any djinn magic -- [[spoiler:right up to [[DePower De-Powering]] the entire species]]. One rebel group delays moving against King Ghassan because they have no idea how the Seal is passed on.
69* In Jennifer Fallon's ''Demon Child Trilogy'', the Harshini generally can tap into the same magic source as the gods. The royal té Ortyn family, though, can dam up the whole thing and release ridiculous amounts of it all at once.
70* Both the House of Haldane (rulers of Gwynedd) and the House of Furstan (rulers of Torenth) in the ''Literature/{{Deryni}}'' works are deeply associated with magic.
71** The Haldanes ruled Gwynedd long before their powers were discovered; the discovery of the abilities facilitated the restoration of the dynasty to the monarchy after an interregnum of some eighty years. Subsequent Haldanes used their powers to help retain their throne in the face of their rivals' repeated efforts to retake the country.
72** The Furstans largely train to use their powers like other Deryni, but the monarch's investiture is a magical ritual involving the tomb of the dynasty's founder, which is depicted throbbing with arcane power. Kelson Haldane and some of his courtiers visit the tomb with the young King Liam and his uncle before the ceremony, and even Liam is noted as avoiding touching the tomb.
73* Invoked by the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' philosopher Ly Tin Wheedle:
74-->The only thing known to go faster than ordinary light is monarchy, according to the philosopher Ly Tin Wheedle. He reasoned like this: you can't have more than one king, and tradition demands that there is no gap between kings, so when a king dies the succession must therefore pass to the heir instantaneously. Presumably, he said, there must be some elementary particles -- kingons, or possibly queons -- that do this job, but of course succession sometimes fails if, in mid-flight, they strike an anti-particle, or republicon. His ambitious plans to use his discovery to send messages, involving the careful torturing of a small king in order to modulate the signal, were never fully expanded because, at that point, the bar closed.
75* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', it would seem being a descendant of royalty is one of the criteria for being a long term Knight of the Cross. This isn't much of a restriction due to the way heredity spread; for instance, almost everybody in Europe is descended from Charlemagne. Michael Carpenter is a descendent of Charlemagne, Shiro Yoshimo is a desendent to the last King of Okinawa, and Sanya is a descendent of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saladin Saladin]], who himself is a temporary Knight during UsefulNotes/TheCrusades.
76* In ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'' the Bene Gesserit manipulated marriages between members of certain houses for about ten thousand years in an attempt to breed a Kwisatz Haderach who could access both sides of his lineage's GeneticMemory and see the future perfectly. The end result was Paul Atreides, who used his powers to become the messiah of the Fremen of Arrakis and Emperor of the known universe. His son, the GodEmperor Leto II, inherited the same powers and spent the next four millennia selectively breeding his sister's bloodline (including repeated inbreeding with clones of Duncan Idaho) for the ability to not be viewed by prescience.
77** Once Paul comes into his full powers as Kwisatz Haderach, the only characters who are even remotely dangerous to him in combat are Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Count Hasimir Fenring, who are also products of the Bene Gesserit breeding programs and almost Kwisatz Haderachs themselves.
78* Only the nobles in ''Literature/TheFamiliarOfZero'' can use magic, and their children can use magic via SuperpowerfulGenetics. And in a special case, a user of Void Magic must be descended from either one of the founding leaders of any of the four countries.
79* In the ''Literature/HellsGate'' series, we have a few on both sides of the [[TheMultiverse inter-universal war]]. On the Arcanan side, the Mythalans have a FantasticCasteSystem, with the magic-using Shakira on top, supported by the military nobility of the Multhari, and oppressing the mundane Garthan peasantry. On the Sharonan side, the Calirath dynasty has ruled Ternathia, and at one time or another, most of the world, thanks to their family [[SpiderSense Talent]]- the ability to predict human suffering and tragedy, and thus act to prevent or minimize loss of life (on their side, when it happens in battle. [[BadassCreed Chunika s'hari, Halian]]. [[HeroicSacrifice Sho Warak]].) that gets stronger the closer the Calirath is to the centre of the danger.
80* Downplayed in ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'', where the royal family is directly ([[SecretLegacy though secretly]]) descended from a legendary Herald-Mage and all his line have Mage potential. It's downplayed because an overreliance on magic nearly destroyed faith in the non-mage Heralds, so magic has been a lost art in Valdemar for centuries.
81* In the ''Literature/InheritanceTrilogy'' the Arameri royal family has a variety of superpowers--they can command the Enefadeh (a group of powerful gods), and also command weaker members of the family depending on their sigil.
82* ''Literature/JourneyToChaos'': The royal bloodline enables Kasile to produce and control Sacred Fire, which is divine magic.
83* ''Literature/LabyrinthsOfEcho'' explored the implications. The protagonist [[SummonEverymanHero immigrated]] to a very rich kingdom. Later his boss explains the reason why here only scholars know what "drought" means: crown princes of several successive dynasties were trained and initiated into a [[UnEqualRites special magical tradition]] giving the ability to strike deals with the land itself. So they fight off endless attempts to influence them, to the point that "was a crown prince and trained accordingly" is given as a reason why a king-[[RealityWarper Arbiter]] managed to control his powers. In many generations of batshit insane mages, almost no one tried to overthrow the monarchy or attack a specific king. Rebel mages screamed for blood of the head of a magical order allied with the crown and long after civil war's end, avengers popped up once per tenday or so. Not against the King. In the land choke-full of diviners he travels incognito with two guards and a token cover-up: lots of people ''could'' track him if they wanted, but no one does.
84* In ''Literature/TheLicaniusTrilogy'', only members of the royal family can become Northwarden, granting them the power to change the magically-binding Tenets that enforce the behaviour of the Gifted.
85* In ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' the kings of Gondor are said to have healing abilities. The truth is possibly a bit more mundane, as Aragorn uses forgotten herbal techniques (though they have strangely supernatural effects). On the other hand, Aragon's abilities to control the Dead Men of Dunharrow (a host of spectral undead) and interact with them as if they were solid, abilities granted by the oath they swore to his family, are less ambiguous.
86* ''Literature/{{Neverwhere}}'': All of the House of Portico are Openers, a power that is [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower MUCH more useful than it sounds]].
87* In the ''Literature/OldKingdom'' series, the RoyalBlood is one of the Five Great Charters, linking the royal family to the very make-up of magic in their land, as well as their kingdom's fate. This confers several advantages: members of the royal family seem to be stronger magicians than ordinary folk, and can bestow a mark on their direct vassals (such as soldiers who enforce royal law) that grants limited protection from harmful spells. Mogget also reveals that Kerrigor corrupted this royalty superpower to make himself an extraordinary threat. As a prince he gave a mark to his evil Free Magic and undead servants, creating a loophole in the Charters.
88* Inverted in the ''Literature/OneRoseTrilogy'', where the rulers of the nation of Adara don't have magic because they're royalty, but may ascend to royalty from any rank if they have the right magic powers. Adarans consider magic to be a gift of their Goddess, and since the position of ruling monarch - Reinine - is not hereditary but elected by the nobility and ranking members of the church, having magic powers that would be useful for ruling is often an important consideration. The Reinine at the beginning of the series can magically detect lies.
89* In the ''Literature/RainbowMagic'' series, the Princess Fairies are in charge of all fairy magic as well as their own.
90* Members of the Rakan dynasty, rulers of the ancient Golden Anaxia in ''Literature/ReflectionsOfEterna'', wielded magical powers connected to the very fabric of the world of Kertiana, but the knowledge of how to use them has been lost as the dynasty almost died out. Likewise, the four ducal houses of Golden Anaxia also wielded some sort of ElementalPowers but forgotten all or almost all about them.
91* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'':
92** Members of House Targaryen supposedly have the blood of dragons in their veins, though the only current one who is very situationally fireproof and can command the loyalty ([[StubbornMule well, kind of]]) of dragons is... Daenerys. She certainly is the only known person who has, frankly, lucked into being able to hatch them after almost two centuries of nothing. And, her hatchlings like being around her, at least. According to ''Literature/TheWorldOfIceAndFire'', dragon-riding actually originated as a ''nobility'' superpower. The Targaryens were one of the forty so-called dragonlords, noble families who ruled over the Valyrian Freehold. The Doom killed all dragonlords aside from the Targaryens, who proceeded to conquer and rule over Westeros, hence it went from nobility to royalty superpower.
93** Melisandre claims that royal blood has power. Since this power can only truly be unlocked through [[BloodMagic blood]] [[HumanSacrifice sacrifice]], this doesn't work out so well for the royals in question. Her definition of "royalty" is also very broad, including illegitimate children of royalty, children of royalty who were born ''before'' their parent took power, and relations of the King Beyond the Wall, who is self-proclaimed and whose title is not hereditary.
94** House Stark was royalty once back when they were the Kings of the North. Though they aren't officially kings anymore, their bloodline still has power thanks to their lineage as descendants of the First Men. Wargs, Greenseers, and Greendreamers have all appeared in the Starks' family tree.
95* In Creator/MargaretWeis's ''Literature/TheStarOfTheGuardians'' series, the ubermensch ruling class have perfect genetics, psychic abilities, and the sanction of God.
96* In Fiona Patton's ''Literature/TalesOfTheBranionRealm'' series, the royal family of an alternate Britain is associated with a fire god. All the family have glowing eyes, and the sovereign is the god's "Vessel" or avatar.
97* ''Literature/{{Tigana}}'': The Princes[[note]](Tigana titles its rulers as "Prince". They're effectively kings of a very small region.)[[/note]] of Tigana can bind wizards to them. This comes to them via DivineParentage.
98-->'''Alessan''': You will have heard the legend. It happens to be true. The line of the Princes of Tigana, all those in direct descent, can bind a wizard to them unto death. […] It is our primal story: Tigana is the chosen province of [[TopGod Adaon of the Waves]]. The first of our Princes, Rahal, being born of the god by that Micaela whom we name as mortal mother of us all. And the line of the Princes has never been broken.
99* In ''Literature/{{Warbreaker}}'', more of an identifier than a useful power, the Idrian royal line can change the color of their hair based on their emotions. It is a useful way to demonstrate their strong will and self-control, though, because it can be controlled with extreme effort. This is specifically called out in the annotations as not being genetic - only the children of the person who ends up inheriting the throne will retain the so-called "Royal Locks", and none of their siblings will pass it on.
100* The Takisians of ''Literature/WildCards'' are ruled by several royal families who have been selectively bred for centuries to have telepathy.
101* Members of the Four Noble Families from ''A World of Wonder'' are known for having strong [[ImaginationBasedSuperpower imaginations]]. The Forearchs, the first kings and queens of Wonderland, are revered as saints for their legendary power. [[spoiler:TheReveal is a [[SubvertedTrope subversion]]: The Forearchs weren't naturally powerful, but bonded with caterpillars for the power to seal the Jobberwocks in the Abyss. Renata, the Clovers family heiress, is also chosen by a caterpillar, but not the one aligned with her ancestor.]]
102* Everyone in ''Literature/{{Xanth}}'' has a magical talent, but there's a legal requirement that the king must be a Magician (someone whose talent is particularly powerful). Over the course of the series, one family has kept the throne for several generations because they're descended from a character who was given the gift that all his descendants would have Magician-class talents.
103[[/folder]]
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105[[folder:Myth, Religion, and Folklore]]
106* In medieval England and France, it was believed the touch of a king could cure diseases. It was called the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_touch Royal touch]] and was believed to cure forms of tuberculous. This concept was tied to the DivineRightOfKings, as it was believed someone anointed by God could perform miracles.
107[[/folder]]
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109[[folder:Podcasts]]
110* From the ''Podcast/CoolKidsTable'' game ''Small Magic''. In addition to giving him a destiny to save the kingdom, Janus' royal heritage also gives him access to "big magic" (as opposed to most people's "small magic").
111** In Josh's [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Super Mario RPG]] system he homebrewed for ''Here We Gooooo!'', one of the classes is Princess. Like Peach, they have the natural ability to float.
112* ''Podcast/SibyllineSounds'': All nagas possess HypnoticEyes, but the venom of royal nagas, instead of being toxic, is a FantasticDrug that puts the victim into a state of suggestibility much deeper than normal hypnosis.
113[[/folder]]
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115[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
116* The RPG ''TabletopGame/SeventhSea'' has this. Sorcery in this setting is a special power of nobility and royalty. Its origins vary; in some countries (mostly Romance-expies), it originates from an ancient DealWithTheDevil, in some (the England-expy and the Russia-expy) from deals with the local faeries and spirits.
117* The whole point of ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}''. The Dragon-Blooded rule the Realm because their hereditary elemental superpowers are considered a sign of being chosen by the Elemental Dragons (which may even be true). However, there are other types of Exalted, all of whom are much more powerful than the Dragon-Blooded and were personally handpicked by gods who outrank the Dragons. Who has a true mandate to rule the world? And who is best suited to defend it from the Things that want to destroy it?
118[[/folder]]
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120[[folder:Video Games]]
121* ''VideoGame/AffairsOfTheCourt'': In ''Choice of Romance'', the Kingdom of [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Iberia]] has the nobility possessing Life or Death magic (depending on the family). Death mages is mostly good for fighting (e.g., throwing fireballs), while Life mages are usually healers, although it's possible to use Life magic for mind-control (with some nasty side effects for the user). As per tradition, the magic type of the current ruler must be different from the one before, meaning a Life magic King/Queen must be succeeded by a Death magic heir and vice versa. In Chapter III, a lower noble has figured out how to create Death rods, artifacts capable of storing and using Death magic without being a powerful Death mage, as long as it's been charged by one. The idea is that this would allow the Iberian army to include commoners with powerful weapons to crush all opposition. However, higher-ranking nobles fear that this would undermine the very foundations of nobility. The lower noble also claims that, at a later time, Life rods could be made to allow anyone with rudimentary magical abilities to heal (e.g. Death mages healing themselves in battle).
122* In ''VideoGame/AtelierIris2TheAzothOfDestiny'', members of the Slaith Royal Family are apparently born knowing how to perform the Ein Zecksclaw technique. [[spoiler:Fee's]] ability to do this in times of great danger ultimately reveals that she is really [[spoiler:Princess Audrey, Max's long-lost sister]].
123* The Alberian Royal Family in ''VideoGame/DragaliaLost'' all have Dragonblood, which allows them to make a Dragonpact with a dragon that chooses them and shapeshift into them when they need to. This isn't limited to them, however. The twelve Wyrmclan Leaders of Hinomoto make soulpacts with their clan dragons, similar to the dragonpacts [[spoiler:but at the cost of shortening the user's lifespan]]. The apostles of the Ilian Chruch are not royalty, but they also have a special bond with their dragons called a Sigil, which kills one if the other dies.
124* ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'':
125** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestI'': Princess Gwaelin effectively set the precedent of princesses from eastern gaming possessing inexplicable magical abilities, as once/if the Hero returns her to her father, she bestows on him an item through which she can communicate with him telepathically as well as pinpoint his exact position in the world. Taken further in her ''Battle Road'' appearances, where she channels the artifacts the Hero collected to create the Rainbow Bridge herself. To top it off, in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestBuilders'', the Dragonlord actually isn't the one guilty of petrifying any of the survivors of ancient Tantegel — she actually recited and enacted the spell herself as a means of protection.
126** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestX'': The Hero is part of a royal family that had the ability to control time.
127* ''VideoGame/{{Drawn}}'': The royal family is said to have possessed magic, presumably the same ArtInitiatesLife power that Iris, the sole royal survivor, possesses.
128* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
129** The emperor's line in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'' has dragon blood in them and can even turn into dragons.
130** In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' we ourselves get a taste of what Tiber Septim, the first Emperor, could do. The new Imperial Family, however, is mundane.
131* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'', the royalty of Lucis can use magic due to the power of the [[MineralMacGuffin Crystal]]. This magic includes storing weapons and other objects and [[HyperspaceArsenal summoning them at will]], warping short distances or to a thrown object, and drawing elemental energy from the environment to craft spells. They can also share these abilities with others. The female members of Tenebrae's royal family have other powers - namely being able to communicate with the gods and heal the [[MysticalPlague Starscourge.]] [[spoiler:Ardyn is an exception -- while he can still use the same magical techniques and magic as the rest of the Lucian royal bloodline, his abilities are fueled by the concentrated Starscourge in his body instead of the Crystal.]]
132* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'':
133** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemMysteryOfTheEmblem'' have the royal family of Altea, whose relationship to the hero Anri allows them to wield the holy sword, Falchion. Female members can also use the Aum Staff that allows resurrecting a fallen character ([[ItOnlyWorksOnce but only once]]).
134** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThracia776'' have the various noble families of Crusader lineage. Their Holy Blood gives them significantly higher natural abilities than commoners possess (which take the form of special stat boosts), but more importantly, only those of the right Crusader blood can use their family's respective holy weapon or spell, all of which are devastatingly powerful.
135** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'', the imperial family of Begnion came to power due to their ability to hear the voice of the Goddess. [[spoiler: This ability is inherited from the line's [[HalfHumanHybrid non-human ancestor]]. When the previous Empress tried to reveal this, she was murdered to preserve [[DecadentCourt the Senate's]] power and credibility. At the end of ''Radiant Dawn'', the true Empress decides that her sister has been doing just fine without their ancestor's power, and accepts the crown of a different country.]]
136** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', only the royal line of Ylisse (who are descendants of the above-mentioned royal family of Altea) is capable of wielding Falchion, the sword that can defeat the Fell Dragon Grima; anyone else who tries to use the sword will find it to be as dull as a butter knife. Even among royalty, though, the sword is picky about who can use it. Out of the current three royal siblings ([[TheHighQueen Emmeryn]], [[WarriorPrince Chrom]], and Lissa), only Chrom can use the sword. [[spoiler:Although ''both'' of his children prove capable of wielding it. Maybe it's the hair?]]
137** The royal families of Nohr and Hoshido in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' are both descended from two ancient dragons, giving them the ability to manipulate the terrain of the battlefield using "Dragon Veins". Despite not being blood-related to the royals, Azura can also use Dragon Veins [[spoiler:due to being a descendant of Valla's royal family, as can her cousin the Avatar, who's also the son of Valla's usurper king, the dragon Anankos]]. It ''is'' technically possible to give anyone this ability (in fact, a minor plot point in [[spoiler:Gunter's]] backstory is that he ''refused'' it), but completing the stage that gives one the ability is [[NintendoHard a pain in the butt]].
138** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', only those born with Crests (proof of being part of the HeroicLineage of the Ten Elites or Four Saints of the past) can wield the [[AncestralWeapon Heroes' Relics and Sacred Weapons]] and gain access to powerful mystical abilities, and these Crest bearers are or ''were'' part of the noble families descended of those ancient heroes. Of course, it ''is'' technically possible to use a Heroes' Relic or Sacred Weapon even without a Crest [[spoiler:assuming in the former's case you're willing to accept being hurt by the Relic in the best case and being turned into a giant monstrosity in the worst]] but you're locked out of drawing out their full potential, and it's a plot point in that [[spoiler:it's possible to have a Crest ''granted'' to you through various means, such as accepting the blood of a divine dragon, having a Crest Stone implanted into your body, or being experimented on to forcibly insert the Crest.]]
139* In ''VideoGame/KameoElementsOfPower'', the Element of Power that allows its wearer to transform into a powerful Elemental Warrior is passed down through the Elves' royal family. The plot begins when Kameo, the younger princess, is chosen to wield the Element of Power over her elder sister Kalus and said elder sister responds to the apparent snub by their mother the queen poorly. [[spoiler:Slightly subverted since Kameo turns out to have been adopted into the royal family.]]
140* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': The daughters of Hyrule's Royal Family inherit [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast the powers of the Seventh Sage / Maiden]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime the Triforce of Wisdom, the power of the Goddess Nayru]], [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap the Light Force]]]], and [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword the blood of the Goddess Hylia]]]]. You'd think all the power would prevent them from inevitably being the DamselInDistress at one point in every story... though to be fair, the one who places her in distress most often is the wielder of the Triforce of ''Power'' [[spoiler:and is the embodiment of an eternal curse laid by Demon King Demise, Hylia's ArchEnemy]]. ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' says that these powers are passed down by the women of the Royal Family, and when [[spoiler:the queen died while Zelda was just a child and couldn't guide her daughter in awakening those powers]], it proves devastating for the kingdom's defenses.
141* Subverted in ''VisualNovel/LongLiveTheQueen''. It initially appears that all Lumen belong to noble bloodlines, but this is only because Lumen who ''aren't'' politically important [[BurnTheWitch are the subject of discrimination]] and hate crimes...so there are consequently fewer of them. The potential for magic ''is'' passed along the royal bloodline, but it doesn't belong to them alone.
142* In ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice'', only women of the royal family of Khura'in can channel spirits or conduct the Divination Seance in court; the Fey Clan are descended from a member who left to found her own branch. This becomes plot-relevant when a character is challenged to prove her claim to the throne by channeling someone.
143* ''VideoGame/RadiantHistoria'': Eruca, the princess, is the only one who can perform the ritual to delay Desertification. [[spoiler:The Chronicle users are also royal family members, but they play a totally different part.]]
144* ''VisualNovel/{{Sunrider}}'': Thanks to millennia of {{genetic engineering|is the new nuke}}, the [[GenderRestrictedAbility daughters]] of the Ryuvian royal bloodline have the potential to unlock a power called the Awakening. This power grants them enhanced perception and reflexes, gives them superhuman piloting skills, and makes one or both eyes glow while it's active. [[RoyalBastard Sola di Ryuvia]] possesses this power from the start, while [[KingIncognito Asaga di Ryuvia]] obtains it at the climax of ''Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius''.
145* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'' [[CombatMedic Estelle]]'s special power as a Child of the Full Moon is revealed to be one that comes from the royal family (and in fact is why she's one of the candidates to be the next Emperor), with the interesting twist that she also falls under [[LastOfHisKind Last Of Her Kind]] as the power has faded out over the generations. [[spoiler: It is ultimately revealed the power came first; the Children of the Full Moon who did not die to stop the [[EldritchAbomination Adephagos]] founded the Empire to watch over and monitor blastia use to prevent such events from happening again.]]
146* House Randgriz in ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'', the royalty of Gallia, are supposed to be this, said to have been descended from Valkyria, a race of powerful warriors wreathed in blue flames. [[spoiler:[[AvertedTrope Nobody pegged them as Darcsen]], whom the Valkyria defeated thousands of years ago.]]
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150* In ''Webcomic/TheCyantianChronicles'', until a recent coup, the three highest ranking [[FantasticCasteSystem castes]] in the Fox Empire were genetic elites with enhanced strength and [[HealingFactor regenerative]] abilities. The Blacks also had the ability to project energy blasts.
151* Royal units in ''Webcomic/{{Erfworld}}'' have better abilities and stat progression as a built-in feature of the [[RPGMechanicsVerse world's mechanics]].
152* Played with in ''Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons'', similarly to its take on the DivineRightOfKings: Royalty is in itself a superpower. Royalty means not only being sovereign of a nation or a people, [[RealityWarper but sovereign over the laws of reality itself and capable of ignoring it at will]]: Anyone calling themselves 'royal' are invoking the name of the superpower. Royalty is not inheritable but an EnlightenmentSuperpower and becomes harder to obtain the harder you try: Hence, no royals in TheMultiverse are Royalty.
153* The children of the King or Queen of the Kayoss in ''Webcomic/LsEmpire'' are born with [[SemanticSuperpower Semantic Superpowers]]. Shadowpalm (eldest son of the current king) doesn't have any powers because [[ExactWords he was born before his father became king]].
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157* All of the direct descendants of the Fire Nation Royal family in the ''[[Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar]]'' franchise are incredibly powerful firebenders. This list includes but is not limited to: Fire Lord Sozin, Fire Lord Azulon, Iroh I, Ozai, Zuko, Azula, and Iroh II. The only ones who aren’t confirmed to be benders are Zuko's daughter Izumi and her unnamed daughter (though that’s not confirmation they’re not either). Fire Lord Sozin was eventually given a non-bender sister in a canon tabletop game as well.
158* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', all of the practicing royalty (as opposed to characters with royal titles with roles more akin to standard nobility than royalty) are alicorns, wielding very powerful magic and being associated with conceptual domains (the sun, the moon and dreams, love, and friendship). This is due to the fact that the eldest of the royalty, Princess Celestia, takes note of those potentially capable of these feats, granting them princesshood and a position in their circle once they realize their potential. Sometimes this involves actual adoption into her family, other times not.
159* In ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'', the women of the royal Butterfly family have access to magic, as well as the ability to turn into butterfly-like creatures upon becoming teenagers. It eventually turns out genes don't have anything to do with it, they just have a powerful MagicWand as an AncestralWeapon (that can actually be used by anyone) and are the only ones ''taught'' to use magic. The transformation and FacialMarkings are caused by ''exposure'' to magic ([[MuggleBestFriend Marco]] even used the wand once, temporarily gaining the same marks himself). [[spoiler:In fact, the last several hundred years of queens are not related to the ones before them.]]
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