When it comes to Official Disney Princesses, there are specific criteria they must go by. They must appear human, marry or be born into royalty, and/or perform a heroic deed in their film. Characters like Cinderella, Mulan, Tiana, and Moana all fit the bill.
But in some cases, iconic Disney characters get cheated out of the title despite being given the crown or being a heroine. Even for characters who become princesses in their films, like Dot and Anna, they still didn’t get acknowledged as Official Disney Princesses.
Fans eagerly await the release of Disney’s most recent animated effort, Wish (November 22), whose protagonist, seventeen-year-old Asha, has the potential to become the newest Disney Princess. If she doesn’t, she will join a collection of brilliant but overlooked characters who deserve the princess status but have failed to receive it for one reason or another. So, even if Asha doesn’t become an official Disney Princess, she would be in good company.
Anastasia – A Worthy Contender
Anastasia from the 1997 movie of the same name is now technically a Disney character. Based on the real-life Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia, the film introduces magic and mystic elements and presents a fictionalized tale of her survival following the Russian Revolution.
Anastasia is a wonderful character from an equally celebrated movie, and it’s high time she receives the attention she deserves. Like all the best Disney Princesses, she’s strong, courageous, determined, and selfless. Anastasia is also the rare princess who saves the day by herself without needing a prince or savior. She is the worthiest of them all.
Maid Marian – A Loving and Supportive Figure
In Disney’s 1973 take on the legendary bandit Robin Hood, we encounter Maid Marian. The film features anthropized animals and follows Robin Hood, a red fox who fights against the corruption in the town of Nottingham while trying to win the hand of the king’s niece, Maid Marian.
Robin Hood is an inspired take on a well-known classic featuring one of the sweetest versions of Maid Marian. Although she doesn’t meet all the requirements to be an official princess – after all, she is an animal – Marian is more than worthy of the title. She is a loving, supportive, and bold figure, and while she might be a damsel in distress, Marian is far from useless or incapable.
Princess Eilonwy – An Overlooked Gem
No Disney film is more unfairly overlooked than the 1985 dark fantasy adventure The Black Cauldron. Loosely based on The Chronicles of Prydain novels, the film follows Taran, a young pig-keeper who must retrieve his magical pig, Hen-Wen, before the evil Horned King can use it to locate the mystical Black Cauldron, an artifact that will help him conquer the world.
Joining Taran’s quest is Princess Eilonwy, one of the most refreshing and bold heroines in Disney canon. Strong-willed, talkative, highly opinionated, and resourceful, Eilonwy is arguably the first female Disney character to embody the values that would carry on to the Renaissance. Eilonwy should be an official Disney Princess; she meets all the criteria, and her absence from the line-up is another unfair blow to The Black Cauldron’s legacy.
Kida – A True Warrior Princess
Kida from Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) might be Disney’s most overlooked character. The plot centers on Milo Thatch, a young linguist and cartographer who leads a dangerous exploration to find the fabled lost kingdom of Atlantis. Arriving at the sunken empire, he meets the lost civilization, led by the young and spirited Princess Kida.
Kida is an incredible character. Curious of the visitors but fiercely protective of her people, she is among the strongest and most decisive characters in Disney’s celebrated and beloved canon. It’s ridiculous that she isn’t an official Disney Princess, considering she is the living embodiment of what the trope should be.
Raya – A True Warrior Princess
Raya is the warrior princess of the chiefdom of Heart and the protagonist of Disney’s underrated adventure film Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). The plot chronicles her quest to look for the fabled last dragon to protect her chiefdom from dangerous evil spirits.
Raya is among Disney’s newest princesses; thus, it makes sense that she might not yet be part of the official Disney Princess line-up. However, she has all the qualities to secure her spot in the prestigious group; she’s courageous, daring, virtuous, and kind-hearted, a true warrior princess capable of defending her people from harm.
Dot – The Heroic Ant
Dot is the little sister of Princess Atta, the ant gearing up to take the throne as queen in A Bug’s Life (1998). Atta is crowned queen at the film’s end, and Dot goes from one of the best Disney sidekicks to a full-on Disney princess, celebrating by flying around with her newly-grown wings.
Despite her princess status in the film, Dot can never be an Official Disney Princess because she’s not a human. But her courage to fight off the evil bugs who come her way and help Flik save their colony should count as an act of heroism worthy of Official Princess status.
Nani – A Heroic Guardian
Nani may not have been born royal, and her partner, David, certainly isn’t royalty. Still, her selfless acts throughout Lilo & Stitch (2002) should rank high on the heroic scale to be worthy of being considered a princess.
Nani confronted several aliens while trying to save Lilo from being accidentally taken to space. More importantly, she stepped up to care for her little sister after their parents died and fought to keep her when Cobra Bubbles threatened to take Lilo away. Nani proves that commoners can be just as brave and worthy of a noble title as those born into royalty.
Megara – The Heroine with Walls
Megara is a woman who likes to be the hero of her own story. Determined but vulnerable, Meg is among Disney’s most interesting characters. She’s been burned by love’s flame before, meaning she has surrounded herself with mighty walls that only the strongest demigod could tear down.
Hercules (1997) might spend most of its runtime building up its titular hero’s strength, but it also finds the time to cement Megara as one of Disney’s strongest non-Princess female characters. She’s capable, sassy, and has one of the best singing voices in the Mouse House. And while she isn’t a princess, she is a quasi-goddess through marriage, which is arguably much better.
Esmeralda – A Fearless Defender
It’s no secret that The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) is Disney’s darkest and most mature classic. Thus, it needs a strong female lead character to go along with its very serious subjects; luckily, Esmeralda lives up to the task. In fact, it might not be an overstatement to call her the best Disney female character from the 90s.
Esmeralda refuses to be a victim despite the dangerous circumstances that surround her. She endures unwarranted sexual advances and the relentless persecution of her people at the hands of a corrupt and broken system, and she does it with her head held up high. Esmeralda is resourceful, intelligent, and deeply kind, making her a more layered and interesting character than most official Disney princesses.
Princess Melody – The Daughter of Royalty
Princess Melody is the preteen daughter of Princess Ariel and Prince Eric. First introduced in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000), Melody is a spirited young girl who longs to visit the sea after spending her life locked behind her palace walls.
Melody checks all the boxes for being an official Disney Princess: she has a human appearance, a royal family, and a heroic spirit, much like her mom. And while it’s hard to measure up to her mother, a timeless Disney icon who ushered in the Disney Renaissance, Melody is a great character on her own, worthy of receiving the official Disney Princess title.
Princess Leia – A Galactic Hero
Of all the characters not on the Official Disney Princess list, Princess Leia is the most deserving. Not only is she a literal princess, but she performs several heroic deeds throughout Star Wars, including helping to destroy the Death Star. Furthermore, she becomes the leader of the Rebellion following the rise of the First Order, cementing her place as a galactic leader unlike any other.
Leia isn’t an original Disney character and thus can’t be an official Disney Princess. The Mouse House would also have to pay royalties for using the late Carrie Fisher’s likeness, adding another complication to the situation. However, Leia is a wonderful and heroic character who would fit perfectly with the other Princesses.
Jane – An Overlooked Heroine
Jane is not considered an official Disney Princess. It’s a rather unfair arrangement, considering all her acts of heroism throughout Tarzan (1999) – from befriending Tarzan and teaching him about human life to helping rescue the gorilla herd.
Although she was initially included on the official line-up, she was since dropped for unknown reasons, but one could very well be that she is not royalty. The only way to get her and Tarzan back on the official lists would be for the Tarzan-is-Anna-and-Elsa’s-brother theory to become canon.
Giselle – An Enchanted Character
Six-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams plays Giselle in the 2007 animated/live-action film Enchanted. The redheaded young woman dreams of true love’s kiss while waiting for a handsome prince. After becoming engaged to such a prince, she gets sent to the real world by her fabulous but wicked stepmother-to-be.
Like Princess Leia, Giselle can’t be an official Disney Princess because the Mouse House would need to secure the life-long rights to Adams’ face. Giselle is also technically not a princess, as she abandons the magical land of Andalasia to live in the real world with a very human, very non-royal lawyer. However, Giselle should be a Disney Princess; Enchanted remains one of Disney’s greatest triumphs in the new millennium, with Adams embodying everything a Disney Princess should be.
Alice – An Honorary Princess
Disney’s wacky classic Alice in Wonderland (1951) is based on Lewis Carroll’s beloved Alice novels. The film follows Alice, a young girl who falls down a rabbit hole and arrives at the magical and chaotic land of Wonderland, where she meets a series of vibrant characters.
Deemed an “honorary princess,” Alice often joins her princess friends despite not meeting any princess criteria. Other than being human, Alice is not royal and does not perform any prominent acts of heroism throughout the film, but her closeness to the title allows her to often be mistaken for a true Disney Princess.
Anna – From Princess to Queen
Anna and Elsa took the world by storm with the release of their record-breaking movie, Frozen (2013). The film centers on a spirited princess who goes looking for her sister, who has voluntarily secluded herself in a snowy mountain out of fear of her increasing ice powers.
Many fans wondered why Anna wasn’t made a Disney Princess, considering she fits the bill: she’s human, comes from royalty, is heroic, and even has an animal sidekick in Sven. However, Frozen 2 turned her into the queen after Elsa abdicated, so perhaps the studio always knew Anna wouldn’t be a princess for long.
Who Are Disney Princesses? A Comprehensive Guide
Disney Princesses, a term that has become synonymous with fairy tales, magic, and childhood dreams, represent a beloved and iconic group of female characters from Disney’s animated films. These characters hold a special place in the hearts of audiences young and old, transcending generations and cultures. But who are Disney Princesses, and what makes them such enduring and cherished figures in the world of animation and storytelling? In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the origins, characteristics, and significance of Disney Princesses, shedding light on why they continue to captivate our imaginations.
The Disney Princess Lineup
The term “Disney Princess” refers to a specific franchise and marketing concept created by The Walt Disney Company. It includes a carefully curated group of female characters, each originating from a Disney animated feature film. These beloved 13 Disney Princess characters are:
- Snow White: The titular character from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937), Snow White is known for her kindness and timeless beauty.
- Cinderella: From “Cinderella” (1950), Cinderella is celebrated for her grace and resilience in the face of adversity.
- Aurora: Also known as Sleeping Beauty, she appears in “Sleeping Beauty” (1959) and is admired for her elegance and grace.
- Ariel: The adventurous mermaid from “The Little Mermaid” (1989), Ariel is known for her curiosity and determination.
- Belle: The book-loving beauty from “Beauty and the Beast” (1991) is cherished for her intelligence and inner strength.
- Jasmine: From “Aladdin” (1992), Jasmine is admired for her independence and courage.
- Pocahontas: The Native American heroine from “Pocahontas” (1995) is celebrated for her connection to nature and wisdom.
- Mulan: The fearless warrior from “Mulan” (1998) is known for her bravery and determination.
- Tiana: From “The Princess and the Frog” (2009), Tiana is praised for her ambition and work ethic.
- Rapunzel: The long-haired adventurer from “Tangled” (2010) is beloved for her creativity and optimism.
- Merida: The independent archer from “Brave” (2012) is celebrated for her courage and free spirit.
- Moana: The adventurous navigator from “Moana” (2016) is admired for her determination and connection to her culture.
- Raya is a headstrong young woman who is mature and wizened for someone her age. She is a very capable person and is shown to easily adapt to situations
The Characteristics of a Disney Princess
While the term “Disney Princess” may seem straightforward, there are specific criteria that these characters generally meet. These criteria help distinguish them from other female characters in Disney films and contribute to their unique status. Here are some of the key characteristics of a Disney Princess:
1. Origin in an Animated Feature Film: A Disney Princess must originate from a Disney animated feature film. While Disney has created numerous animated characters, not all of them are considered princesses.
2. Human or Human-like: Disney Princesses are typically human or possess human-like qualities. This criterion excludes characters that are purely animals or mythical creatures.
3. Royal Status: A Disney Princess is often a princess by birth or marriage, although there have been exceptions, such as Mulan and Moana, who achieved their heroic status through their actions.
4. Strong Moral Character: Disney Princesses are known for their strong moral values, including kindness, courage, and resilience. They often serve as role models for young audiences.
5. Significant Role in Their Film: These characters play a central and significant role in their respective films, driving the plot and embodying the film’s themes.
6. Enduring Popularity: Disney Princesses have enduring popularity that transcends their initial film releases. They are featured in merchandise, theme park attractions, and various forms of media, contributing to their iconic status.
The Evolution of the Disney Princess Franchise
The concept of Disney Princesses has evolved since its inception, reflecting changing societal values and the desire to create more diverse and empowering characters. Here are some notable developments in the Disney Princess franchise:
1. Diversity and Inclusivity: Disney has taken steps to introduce more diverse and culturally representative princesses in recent years. Characters like Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, and Moana have expanded the franchise’s cultural diversity.
2. Empowerment: Modern Disney Princesses are often portrayed as strong, independent, and capable individuals. They are no longer passive characters waiting for rescue but actively involved in shaping their destinies.
3. Merchandising and Marketing: The Disney Princess franchise has become a marketing powerhouse. These characters appear on a wide range of products, from toys to clothing, making them highly recognizable and marketable.
4. Themes of Empowerment: Disney has incorporated themes of empowerment, self-discovery, and self-acceptance into the stories of its princesses, resonating with contemporary audiences.
5. Expanding the Lineup: As Disney continues to create new animated films, the potential for adding new princesses to the lineup remains open. Characters like Elsa from “Frozen” (2013) and Anna, Elsa’s sister, have garnered immense popularity and may eventually join the official Disney Princess ranks.
The Impact of Disney Princesses
Disney Princesses have left an indelible mark on popular culture and have had a profound impact on the lives of millions. Here are some of the ways in which they have made a difference:
1. Empowerment and Aspiration: Disney Princesses inspire young audiences to believe in themselves, pursue their dreams, and stand up for what they believe in. These characters show that anyone, regardless of their background, can be a hero in their own story.
2. Cultural Representation: The inclusion of culturally diverse princesses like Mulan, Moana, and Tiana promotes representation and celebrates different cultures. This inclusivity is essential for children to see themselves in the stories they love.
3. Merchandising and Branding: The Disney Princess franchise has become a global brand, contributing significantly to Disney’s overall revenue. It has also created countless job opportunities in industries such as fashion, merchandise design, and marketing.
4. Storytelling and Entertainment: Disney Princess films have entertained audiences for generations. Their timeless stories and unforgettable songs continue to captivate viewers of all ages, fostering a love for storytelling and the arts.
5. Theme Park Attractions: Disney theme parks feature attractions, shows, and meet-and-greet experiences with Disney Princesses, allowing fans to immerse themselves in the magic of these characters.
In conclusion, these characters, while not officially recognized as Disney Princesses, certainly deserve a spot among the most beloved and iconic Disney characters. Their bravery, kindness, and unique qualities make them role models for fans of all ages, and they continue to capture our hearts, even without the official title of “Disney Princess.” Whether it’s Anastasia, Maid Marian, or any of the other remarkable characters on this list, they remain an essential part of Disney’s rich storytelling legacy. So, let’s celebrate these unsung heroes and heroines who prove that you don’t need a crown to be a true Disney legend.
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