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A prince regent is a prince who governs a country because the rightful sovereign is unable to rule, typically due to being too young, absent, or incapacitated.1

In the history of the Netherlands, the term "regents" referred to members of the ruling bodies of towns and provinces. These individuals, often wealthy merchants and financiers, wielded significant political power, particularly during the stadtholderless periods when the office of stadtholder was vacant. The regents' rule, while presented as republican, often functioned as an oligarchy, with power concentrated in the hands of hereditary patricians. This system eventually faced challenges, especially during times of crisis, leading to the restoration of the stadtholderate and, later, the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.2345

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