Top 10 Characters That Should Be Official Disney Princesses

The opening of “Enchanted” begins like so many other Disney princess stories. It sees Giselle, a young woman dreaming of finding her happily ever after, meet Prince Edward of Andalasia, and the pair immediately fall in love. An evil queen sabotages their plans, however, and this is where things take a strange turn for Giselle – she finds herself in New York City’s Times Square. While Giselle is as sweet and kind as Snow White and Cinderella, her transformation into live-action has prevented her from becoming an official princess, as Disney would have to acquire lifelong likeness rights from actress Amy Adams. Nevertheless, we think Disney should overlook this technicality to make way for one of their funniest and boldest heroines.

Elena of Avalor not only has the look of your classic Disney princess, but she also has the qualities. She is devoted to her people and her family, often putting herself in harm’s way to protect them and ensure their well-being. She is also an actual princess, unlike some of the other entries on this list. So why isn’t she official yet? One reason is that she stars in a television show rather than a feature film, which is a qualification to be an official Disney princess. If Elena ever makes an appearance on the big screen, hopefully she’ll be added to the official lineup in no time.

Preferring a black skirt and hooded sweatshirt over a ball gown, at first glance Vanellope von Schweetz may not seem like the princess type. But as we know, looks can be deceiving. We don’t find out until the end of this film that Vanellope is actually the princess of the video game “Sugar Rush.” Beneath her somewhat harsh exterior is a loving and loyal friend who is extremely compassionate. Her young age may be what’s preventing her from joining the official ranks, but according to Executive Producer John Lasseter, she’s only 2 years younger than Snow White. So that argument doesn’t quite hold up in our books.

You don’t necessarily have to be an actual princess to be an official princess, or have any connection to royalty whatsoever. As cliché as it may sound, it’s what inside that counts the most, which is why Maid Marian should be an official Disney princess. Okay, so she’s not human, which is another qualification for Disney princess, but beyond being literally a fox, she is kind and courageous, and is willing to stand up for what’s right. She is also extremely graceful and seems to have all the usual mannerisms of a princess down to a tee. Considering the film was released over 40 years ago, it’s about time things were changed a little and she joined the official ranks.

“The Black Cauldron” came out between Disney’s Golden Age of Animation and their ‘90s Renaissance. That might explain why Eilonwy is often overlooked, along with the fact that the film didn’t do so well at the box office. Still, considering her credentials, it doesn’t seem right for Eilonwy to suffer for things beyond her control. Kidnapped by the Horned King, Eilonwy possess many qualities of a princess and then some. Strong-willed, feisty, and hungry for adventure, she also had many modern qualities that would carry over to future Disney projects.

If we do the math, Mufasa was the rightful King of Pride Rock. Simba is Mufasa’s son. Nala is betrothed to Simba. So that makes Nala a princess. Similar to Maid Marian, she is not actually a human, which has prevented her from joining the official ranks. But if being a Disney princess is about setting a good example for young girls everywhere, Nala fits the part perfectly. She takes it on her own to find Simba and convince him to return to save their pride, and even calls him out when he refuses. Without her influence, he never would’ve taken his place in the circle of life.

Esmeralda is without a doubt the hero of Paris. Sure, she isn’t technically royalty, but neither is Mulan, and she’s an official princess. Esmeralda is one of the most heroic characters in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” saving Quasimodo and her people from Frollo’s tyranny. She is confident, smart, determined, and perhaps most importantly, has a heart of gold. Plus, it’s hard not to get the feels when she sings “God Help the Outcasts.” It’s time for her to be given the proper treatment she deserves and join the other official princesses.

George Lucas sold the “Star Wars” franchise to Disney back in 2012. As a result, all of the characters in “Star Wars” are now technically Disney characters. Therefore, it only makes sense for Leia, one of the greatest and most memorable princesses in all of film history, to join the official ranks. She is not only royalty, however, but she is also a natural-born leader and has a connection to the Force. She is the perfect example to show to anyone who thinks princesses are lame. Although she is later known as General Leia, that’s not going to stop people from signing petitions to make her an official Disney princess.

With one of their first films of the 21st century, Disney wanted to try something a little different with their lead female character. Enter Kida. The daughter of the King of Atlantis, Kida is an impressive warrior rather than your classic damsel in distress. In fact, by the end of the film, she even becomes queen. Similar to Eilonwy, however, her film underperformed at the box office, limiting her overall exposure. Still, she would make an excellent addition to the official Disney lineup – we seriously need some more warrior princesses!



Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:



Melody

“The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea” (2000)



Jane

“Tarzan” (1999)



Tiger Lily

“Peter Pan” (1953)

To get the technicalities out of the way first, Megara is actually a princess in the original Greek mythology, as she is the daughter of Creon, the king of Thebes. She also ends up marrying Hercules, who is the son of Zeus, essentially the King of the Gods. So therefore, Meg is a princess in every sense of the word. She also sacrifices herself to save Hercules’ life near the end of the film. Complete with her intelligence and witty remarks, Meg could certainly add some spice to the official princess line-up, and it’s a bit surprising she isn’t there already.