Prince Albert (PA)

A Prince Albert is a male genital piercing. This ring-style piercing generally extends along the underside of the glans, from the opening of the urethra to the frenulum. It may be off-center, if the wearer is uncircumsized, or if they wish to avoid contact with the bundle of nerves around the frenulum.

In the 1970s, body piercer Doug Malloy claimed that the Prince Albert originated in Victorian times, when men used tight pants to secure their genitals to the left or right to minimize their appearance. He claimed Prince Albert wore a similar piercing to keep his foreskin retracted and prevent odors that might offend the Queen, but his assertions have been disputed by historians.

The Prince Albert became popular within the gay community in the early 1970s before spreading to the mainstream. Today it is one of the most common male piercings.