What is a Princess?

A nonreigning female member of a royal family; a princess whose marriage does not qualify her to be addressed with the title (as Queen). Princesses, according to this definition, are “those who occupy a particular social role.” Princess Diana, for example, was well known for her work on behalf of poor people, children, and those living with HIV/AIDS. She also participated in many national celebrations, including VE and VJ Days and was the president or patron of a number of charities.

Embedded in the world that princess movies generally inhabit is another assumption: that girls and women who aspire to be princesses want to be recognized as special, not because they are just like everyone else but precisely because they are not. Princesses exercise power because they are unique, and that power is what makes them lovable.

For this reason, the notion that Princesses are a kind of ideal to which young people should aspire may be problematic in some ways. Research has shown that when young girls are exposed to princesses, they tend to develop negative body images and have lower self-esteem than other girls. This is largely because the images of princesses — such as Snow White’s impossible waistline or Cinderella’s luminous skin tone — are so far removed from reality that they are unrealistic and limiting.

The Disney Princesses are a notable exception to this rule. Each of the official princesses is a hero in her own right, and they all exemplify a positive, heroic quality. The Disney Princess franchise features thirteen Official Princesses and associated heroines. These include Snow White, Princess Aurora, Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Merida from Brave, Mulan, Tiana from The Frog Prince, and Moana and Raya from the 2025 film Moana.