Thanks for the info, Kenny. The provenance may indicate (but not prove) that the prince once owned the flute, but that doesn't guarantee that he ever played it. He may have received it as a gift and never touched it.

Heads of state (or similar) get lots of gifts.

Whatever the facts about the prince, someone played it enough to ruin it. It's not worth anything as an instrument or as an object d'art. I've decided not to buy it.

Now, if they had a manuscript of music from the prince's household, that would be a lot more interesting.