Rumours around the royal baby being called Prince Albert have got people talking about a completely different subject altogether: penis piercings.
Twitter was abuzz this morning with people suggesting the royals couldn’t name their baby Albert as it’s colloquially the name given to a popular genital piercing for men. Consequently it’s since been revealed they’ve named him Louis - phew.
For those still baffled by the jokes flying around on the internet, here’s what you need to know.
What is a Prince Albert piercing?
A Prince Albert piercing is a ring piercing which goes through the urethral meatus (the end of the penis) and then out of the bottom wall of the penis. Celebrity body piercer Chris Saint previously told Men’s Health it’s one of the most popular male genital piercings alongside the Jacob’s Ladder, which involves multiple piercings along the underside of the shaft.
Why is it called a ‘Prince Albert’?
Legend has it that Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert had a urethra piercing to “assist the hang of his genitals within relatively tight trousers”. There’s also a theory that Albert had Peyronie’s disease, where the penis curves, and the piercing might have been an attempt to straighten it. However none of this has been proven and we should probably take it all with a pinch of salt.
Why do people have them?
People have them for aesthetic purposes but it’s also thought the piercing offers intense urethral stimulation for men during sex. When Bustle asked three women what it was like to have intercourse with men with the piercings, they all agreed that sex was better.
It’s worth noting that you can still use condoms with a Prince Albert.
Does it hurt?
In a Google thread discussing whether this particular piercing is painful, Erik Hillard said he was “surprised that it hurt so little”. Most people agreed that it was less painful than a nipple piercing.
“Like them all it’s a flash of pain and it’s all over with,” he wrote. “No aching, no
hours or agony...just blood and that wonderful burning sensation during urination for the first few days.”
The piercing reportedly heals relatively quickly which is why it might be so popular.
Complications
After having a Prince Albert piercing, people may experience bleeding or infection. If this is the case they should seek medical intervention or treat the area with saline solution but, according to urologists writing in the BJU International, under no circumstances should the piercing be removed as it might result in an abscess.
People with Prince Alberts may struggle with hygiene issues, scarring, allergic reactions and a narrowing of the urethra.
Urologists said complications may also arise with a person’s partner. For example, they might experience trauma to the vagina or anus; choke on swallowed piercings; chip their teeth or get the piercing trapped between their teeth.