Tarot Court Cards – Knights, Princes & Sons

Ranging from adolescents to young adults (and often a little older), Knights and Princes within the Tarot Court cards will almost certainly be male. As people they can be seen to be active, even the elementally passive Knights and Princes are the most active of their suit and element (Cups and Disks).

In keeping with that activity, as events they represent movement; and generally bringing things in or out of your life, from emigration to work relocation to a lover arriving or leaving your life. Think of how a knight acts and behaves. He is mentally prepared, gutsy and determined to see his task through. As inner processes, see yourself running the gauntlet, digging deep and pushing through mental blocks.

In her guest post, Order in the Court, Barbara Moore describes the Knights as “one who acts”, which is a beautiful summary. She treats the individual elements to the same concise summary so that a court card and element can be matched in an easy to remember system. Barbara developed this for her then upcoming book, Tarot for Beginners. It is a really great way to see the court cards and adds value to the tarot card meanings for the court cards I have laid out here. Be sure to add both systems to your tarot journal.

Keywords For The Knight, Prince & Son of Wands

tarot court cards knights and prince of wands
As People:
Energetic and ambitious; not necessarily sporty, but definitely adventurous; determined though sometimes a little hasty; charming with a magnetism that’s hard to resist; exciting and motivational; dynamic and inspiring; entertaining and often into drama(s) (of all kinds); a budding entrepreneur.
As Events:
Journeys and travelling; moving home, even emigrating; a change of job or promotion; sporting events; acting quickly in any endeavour; creative ideas being brought into action; taking a risk; putting yourself out there; to boldly go…
As Inner Processes:
Finding your vitality; trusting your gut instinct; embracing challenges ahead; allowing yourself to let your hair down; giving yourself a pep talk; believing you can do it; having the courage of your convictions.

Keywords For The Knight, Prince & Son Of Cups

tarot court cards knights and prince of cups
As People:
An idealist and a dreamer; romantic and sensitive; a spiritual seeker or counsellor; sympathetic and compassionate; an artist; imaginative with big ideas.
As Events:
Romance or a relationship; a proposal of marriage or engagement; embarking on a spiritual or mystical retreat; a date or invitation; lucid dreaming and astral travel; going on a relaxation holiday.
As Inner Processes:
Listening to and acting on your inner voice; following your heart; being in tune with your inner desires; self acceptance; calming and centering yourself; finding your path in life.


Keywords For The Knight, Prince & Son Of Swords

tarot court cards knights and prince of swords
As People:
Quick-minded and decisive; a problem solver and strategist; can appear insensitive but is mostly forthright; often ruthless and direct; forward thinking; communicators and analysers.
As Events:
Meetings and conventions; negotiations and disputes; a legal case being brought to you or by you; management of ideas and projects; backing the under-dog; pursuing ideas; taking control of a situation; over seas travel.
As Inner Processes:
Finding solutions to your problems; creative thinking; changing ideals and beliefs; removing what thoughts and beliefs don’t serve you anymore; a journey of self-examination; discovering and establishing your own set of beliefs.

Keywords For The Knight of Pentacles, Prince of Disks & Son of Stones

tarot court cards knights and prince of pentacles
As People:
Reliable and trustworthy individuals; generally hands on; a nature lover; an eco warrior; physical and strong; a crafts-person; dextrous and skilled in any of the trades; dependable and an asset in any crisis.
As Events:
A job offer; recognition of efforts; seeing the fruits of your labour; a return on your investment; a pay increase; support being given or received; embarking on a new physical fitness regime.
As Inner Processes:
Waiting patiently; finding inner strength; remembering common sense; being determined; digging deep and pushing through; grounding yourself; being realistic; unshakable faith.

Learn More About Tarot Court Cards

As a group, the court cards can easily confuse many new and experienced tarot readers, and I was one of them. For a long time I did not fully understand this group until I saw them as my own family. I explore that process is How to Finally Conquer the Court Cards. To continue with the rest of this series, please use the links below.

Tarot Card Meanings Supporting Posts


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