What is a Princess?

Princess is a title given to a female member of a monarch’s family, or to the daughter of a monarch. The male equivalent is prince. Princess may also refer to:

The term is most often used in the context of a child, especially an only daughter, who receives special treatment from her parents and siblings. This treatment may include being dressed in the latest fashions, and being thrown big parties and attending expensive events. In modern times, it is not uncommon for a princess to be a public figure, or even to become a princess through marriage.

While it’s easy to dismiss the princess culture as an extension of a pink-and-girl cult, and horrifying to consider that commercialism can colonize the mind of children so quickly, it’s difficult to completely dismiss all the signs and symbols associated with princesses. Princesses are beloved by little girls, and there is a reason for this.

Princesses provide role models who empower girls to lead with wisdom and maturity. They give them a fantastical storyline to connect with, and they can play the part of a princess in their own imaginative, make-believe worlds. Princesses can teach about overcoming fear, and they are an example of women who lead. For example, Pocahontas sacrificed her love for John to help her people, and Mulan fought to save her island.