The Princess Cut: Which Disney Princess Are You?

The History of Disney Princesses

It’s been 80 years since the release of the first animated princess film, Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Since then, Disney has created over a dozen more princess characters, spanning multiple generations. That’s a lot of history.

With how much social conventions have changed between the ‘30s and today, you couldn’t be blamed for thinking the Princess Line is a relic of the past. Think again; today, princesses from yesteryear (and more recent) are more popular than ever. Why? Disney expertly moves with the times. Yes, the films are classic, and their endings are happy, but each princess is a caricature of the female of her era. She possesses qualities of her time that all different types of people can relate to. If you think about it – Cinderella triumphs over adversity, Ariel was a rebellious teen of the late ‘80s, and Mulan is a ‘90s heroine who saves herself.

In a way, it makes sense that the official princesses weren’t grouped together as a whole (aka the Disney Princess Line) until after the ‘90s because the early Golden Age princesses had at least a decade long gap between their existence. Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs came out in 1937, Disney’s Cinderella in 1950 and Disney’s Sleeping Beauty came out in 1959. It wasn’t until everyone’s favourite flame-haired mermaid hit the big time in 1989 that a princess renaissance started, and Disney was creating new princesses almost every year. By 1992, there were three new ones on the block – Ariel, Belle and Jasmine – all of whom heroically transcend historical gendered stereotypes. And, today, there is a total of 12 heroines in the franchise.

Ultimate Princess Celebration

Disney Princess is a franchise owned by The Walt Disney Company. Created in the ‘90s, it spotlights a line-up of fictional female heroines who have appeared in various Disney animated feature films. Currently, its 12 members include Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida and Moana.

In April of this year, the Walt Disney Company launched the Ultimate Princess Celebration, highlighting and celebrating the courage and kindness these Disney heroines have inspired over generations. From Mulan’s courageous efforts to the tenderness Belle extends to a stranger. The year-long event will honour these strong princesses’ and Disney’s Frozen Queens Anna and Elsa via a focus on their valiant acts and stories of personal triumph. Plus, it brings back the princesses’ classic looks from their movies, the perfect outfits for the new Enchanted Disney jewellery collection – which if you ask us, is fit for a princess.

Enchanted Disney Ultimate Princess Collection

Inspired by the iconic stars from the Enchanted Disney logo, the new Ultimate Princess collection features the familiar shape on rings, necklaces, and pendants, along with a dazzling display of coloured gemstones, from sparkling diamonds, rich amethyst and pretty peridot. Intended to bring out your inner princess, each character has her own stone, harnessed by its colour and properties, it signifies her unique heroic traits. So, without further ado, scroll down to discover which princess inspires you most and what they have the courage to be.

Who Is Your Ultimate Disney Princess?

If you’re like us, you’ve spent a good amount of time discussing which Disney princess you are with your friends, family, co-workers, and basically everyone you know. With so many heroines to talk about, we‘ve selected a handful of ladies who we think reflect everything from courage to kindness. Here’s what you need to know.

Ariel

It’s not just Ariel’s flaming red locks that captured our attention, everyone’s favourite little mermaid captures our hearts with her unapologetic naivety and unflappable spirit. If you share her resilience and a love of gadgets, gizmos, whatsits, and thingamabobs, then a ring or two is perfect for your secret grotto.

Belle

Intelligent, compassionate and an avid bookworm, Belle sees beauty in the beast. Ahead of her time, there’s so much to love about Disney's fifth princess, and it's not hard to see why. Growing up, this brainy and ballsy gal had a major impact on us millennials. For starters, she's the only one in her poor provincial town to wear blue. Classic hipster move, Belle. No seriously, the lessons she imparted to us as kids were progressive and important for its time – from her insatiable appetite for knowledge to not judging a book by its cover.

Jasmine

In 1992, Jasmine took the trend of empowered Disney princesses and blasted it into a whole new world (see what we did there?) And yet, while Aladdin isn’t her story, Jasmine remains a strong, adventurous woman with a strong-willed personality. Oh sure, there’s talk of marriage – but she wins the right to love whomever she chooses. As such, she decides to date Aladdin for a while, get to know him better, and see whether or not he’s husband material. Very sensible.

Mulan

The late ‘90s saw Mulan become the eighth Disney princess. A beacon of bravery, she is courageous, independent, and determined – a true modern-day heroine. Plus, she was the first one who wasn’t born into royalty nor does she marry a prince, ensuring that she remains the hero of her own story – and the star of our animated dreams.