What is a Princess?

In modern Europe, a princess is a woman who is the daughter or granddaughter of a monarch or king and has a royal or noble title. A princess is also considered a member of the ruling class and may carry out duties and engagements on behalf of her royal family. In some countries, a princess can also become Queen consort.

The Disney Princesses are known as being classy, graceful, and romantic daydreamers who hold inner strength through compassion, love, kindness, and a belief in right and wrong. They are intelligent, yet prone to a bit of self-centeredness. Most Princesses, excluding Merida and Raya (who both have animal sidekicks), have beautiful singing voices.

For many young girls, especially those in a certain developmental window, the Princess is something they passionately want to identify with. They seem to love anything pink and are obsessed with the idea of being a Princess – or at least, that they could be one someday.

But what is a princess exactly? The term is a relic of a time when women derived their social standing entirely from the men in their lives – whether they were the father, husband, or son of a King. As a result, they often developed a sense of entitlement.