What Does it Mean to Be a Princess?

A princess is a female member of a monarchy. She has ceremonial duties, represents her family at public events, and may engage in charitable or diplomatic activities. Princesses have been a symbol of nobility and beauty, but their story has undergone significant transformation in the modern world. Princesses are now leaders, warriors, scholars, and self-defying adventurers who defy societal expectations and create their own destiny. This article explores the rich symbolism of this archetype, and explains its historical roots as well as contemporary reimaginings.

Princess

Whether it’s the sleeping princess awakened by true love’s kiss or the disguised royal waiting to reclaim her rightful place, many young girls seem to aspire to be a princess. At the heart of these fairy tales is a reversal of roles: girls and women are valued for their unique traits, while princesses are celebrated and admired precisely because they are different.

But what does it mean to be a princess? For the most part, the princesses in princess movies don’t want to be seen as “normal” (which seems to imply a bland and uninteresting existence). In fact, they seem to crave attention precisely because they are princesses. The fact that they have valuable traits that the masses don’t is what makes them special. This is a form of privilege, but also one that can have profound effects. For example, Princess Diana visited hospitals to see the effects of HIV/AIDS and changed how the disease is viewed. Her tireless charity work, including visits to soup kitchens and hospices, saved lives.