How Many Disney Princesses are There, Really?

We all know there are a lot of Disney Princesses. But where did the focus come from and how many are considered “official” Disney Princesses? This article is going to try to answer those questions.

Where did the “Disney Princess” concept come from?

The Disney Princess franchise was created by Disney Consumer Products Chairman Andy Mooney in the early 2000s. The idea was to include a select group of female heroines from Disney’s animated films. This, of course, has brought the Walt Disney Company a good amount of profit over the years. The entire line is a marketing construct that determines inclusion from criteria like popularity, marketability, and the cultural significance of the character and the film.

How many official Disney princesses are there?

Currently, there are 12 official Disney Princesses.

Official Disney Princesses:

1. Snow White (from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”)
2. Cinderella (from “Cinderella”)
3. Aurora (from “Sleeping Beauty”)
4. Ariel (from “The Little Mermaid”)
5. Belle (from “Beauty and the Beast”)
6. Jasmine (from “Aladdin”)
7. Pocahontas (from “Pocahontas”)
8. Mulan (from “Mulan”)
9. Tiana (from “The Princess and the Frog”)
10. Rapunzel (from “Tangled”)
11. Merida (from “Brave”)
12. Moana (from “Moana”)

These are the characters that are “Disney Princesses” by their status or by marriage. However, Mulan and Pocahontas are part of this group even though they are technically not princesses. One can argue Pocahontas is indeed a “princess” as she was the daughter of a Native American chief. Mulan is included as she is recognized for her heroic deeds.

Other Disney Heroines are beloved but not considered “Disney Princesses”

There are several Disney female characters who are princesses in their movies or have princess-like roles but are not part of the official Disney Princess lineup:

• Elsa and Anna from “Frozen” are royalty and central characters, but they are not part of the official Disney Princess lineup. Elsa becomes a queen early in the first movie, and Anna becomes a queen in the sequel.
• Megara from “Hercules,” Jane Porter from “Tarzan,” and Esmeralda from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” are examples of lead female characters who are not part of the Disney Princess franchise.

Then there are “princesses” within Disney-owned IP that are not “official Disney princesses.”

• Star Wars – Leia Organa: Princess Leia, a central character in the “Star Wars” franchise, is a princess by birth and a key figure in the Rebel Alliance. With Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm, Leia became part of the Disney family, though she is not included in the official Disney Princess lineup.
• Marvel Comics – Shuri: Shuri, from the “Black Panther” comics and movies, is the princess of Wakanda, a technologically advanced African nation. Disney’s acquisition of Marvel Entertainment brings characters like Shuri into the broader Disney universe.
• 20th Century Fox – Anastasia: With Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, characters from Fox’s animated films, such as Anastasia from the film “Anastasia,” have technically become part of Disney. Anastasia, based on the daughter of the last Russian tsar, fits the princess archetype.

Of course, these characters are not recognized as official “Disney Princesses.”

Twelve characters are recognized as “official” Disney princesses, but there are other characters that could be considered as well.