- Matthew Stewart, Paul Sheehan
- Film
Disney
In August 2022, Raya from the film “Raya and the Last Dragon” was announced as the 13th official Disney Princess. Most of the group’s other dozen members have been part of the marketing brand since its launch in the early 2000s, while a few were added to the lineup in the years since. Over time, the Disney Princess criteria has shifted to be more focused on inner strength than outer beauty, and Raya just about perfectly illustrates that new ideal. Scroll through our photo gallery to find out her place on the Disney Princesses ranked list.
Originally, the Disney Princess club consisted of 10 characters: Snow White (“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”), Cinderella (“Cinderella”), Tinker Bell (“Peter Pan”), Aurora (“Sleeping Beauty”), Ariel (“The Little Mermaid”), Belle (“Beauty and the Beast”), Jasmine (“Aladdin”), Pocahontas (“Pocahontas”), Esmeralda (“The Hunchback of Notre Dame”), and Mulan (“Mulan”). After Tinker Bell and Esmeralda were removed, Tiana (“The Princess and the Frog”), Rapunzel (“Tangled”), Merida (“Brave”), Moana (“Moana”), and Raya were added.
These princesses are included based on their appearances within Disney Animation Studios’ 60-film canon, with Pixar character Merida being the only exception. Only these feature films were considered for this ranking, which excludes all direct-to-video continuation films and other non-canonical specials. A few other Disney feature characters, such as Anna and Elsa (“Frozen”) and Eilonwy (“The Black Cauldron”), are technically princesses, but have never been inducted into the official group.
13. Aurora (‘Sleeping Beauty’)
Voiced by Mary Costa
Aurora is afforded no character development and plays almost no part in her own story, which involves her sleeping for over a quarter of the film’s runtime. Her three fairy guardians feel more like protagonists than she does, and every other member of the Disney princess club is simply more interesting.
12. Merida (‘Brave’)
Voiced by Kelly Macdonald (child: Peigi Barker)
The first and only Pixar princess is a well-rounded character who holds true to strong feminist ideals. However, in the decade since its release, her film has never caught on the way others on this list have, and it seems destined to be more and more forgotten as time continues to pass.
11. Snow White (‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’)
Voiced by Adriana Caselotti
The very first protagonist in a Disney feature film is a solid one, but, despite having great cooking and cleaning skills, she proves to be quite helpless on her own. As likable as she is, she ends up being easily overshadowed by the more colorful dwarfs and the fabulous Evil Queen.
10. Jasmine (‘Aladdin’)
Voiced by Linda Larkin (singing: Lea Salonga)
Jasmine is shown to have a great head on her shoulders, and the way she speaks out against forced marriage is commendable, but she ends up not having enough to do. Indeed, her screen presence is lower than that of the film’s villain, Jafar, and she (understandably) is often unable to pull focus away from the larger-than-life Genie.
9. Pocahontas (‘Pocahontas’)
Voiced by Irene Bedard (singing: Judy Kuhn)
Some liberties were taken with her story, but Pocahontas stands as the only Disney Princess based on a real person. This animated version of Chief Powhatan’s daughter is a poised, introspective young woman who advocates for the practice of treating Earth and all of its inhabitants with kindness and care.
8. Cinderella (‘Cinderella’)
Voiced by Ilene Woods
Since her castle is used as the animation studio’s logo and serves as the centerpiece of Walt Disney World, Cinderella has been a major part of the Disney brand for decades, and for good reason. Her classic, straightforward fairy tale never gets old, and watching her rise above her terrible home life just by being virtuous and patient is always satisfying.
7. Moana (‘Moana’)
Voiced by Auliʻi Cravalho (child: Louise Bush)
Moana (the only Disney Princess primarily portrayed by teenager) is remarkably resilient and driven. On her self-imposed quest to save her home and people from famine, she demonstrates great levels of athleticism and intelligence, all while never stopping herself from expressing her thoughts or emotions.
6. Ariel (‘The Little Mermaid’)
Voiced by Jodi Benson
Some who oversimplify Ariel’s story would say it hasn’t aged well, but she is more than a girl who wants to give up the life she has for love. She is worth looking up to as an optimistic dreamer and knowledge-hungry adventurer, and she deserves credit for helping bring the studio back from the brink of ruin as the first heroine of the Disney Renaissance.
5. Tiana (‘The Princess and the Frog’)
Voiced by Anika Noni Rose (child: Elizabeth M. Dampier)
No matter how humble her beginnings or what setbacks she experiences, Tiana never stops working as hard as she can toward her goal of becoming a successful restaurateur. She does, of course, come to a point of frustration when it seems as though her frog transformation will never wear off, but the way she bounces back only adds to her positive characterization.
4. Raya (‘Raya and the Last Dragon’)
Voiced by Kelly Marie Tran
The newest inductee to this group deserves to be included not only due to her pedigree (as the daughter of Kumandra’s Heart chief), but also because she exhibits deep senses of morality and humanitarianism. As greed and underhandedness pervade her continent, she never falters in her fight for peace.
3. Rapunzel (‘Tangled’)
Voiced by Mandy Moore
Rapunzel’s brief yet eventful journey, during which she changes from a naive child into an enlightened young adult, is fascinating to witness. The creatives behind “Tangled” deserve praise for molding a one-dimensional fairy tale character (who, on the page, is outshone by her imposter mother) into a dynamic heroine well worth rooting for.
2. Belle (‘Beauty and the Beast’)
Voiced by Paige O’Hara
Belle is one of the smartest, bravest, and most tender-hearted characters the Disney company has ever created, and her story becomes more and more relevant all the time. By daring to improve her mind even when ridiculed for it, fortifying herself against Gaston’s oafish advances, and making her own choice when it comes to love, she serves as a source of inspiration for all women.
1. Mulan (‘Mulan’)
Voiced by Ming-Na Wen (singing: Lea Salonga)
As if her saving China weren’t enough, what makes Mulan the ultimate Disney princess is the many admirable qualities she possesses as an ideal role model. These include her quick wit, tenacity, and bravery, as well as her dedication to her family and culture. Her story (in which love comes last) is much bigger than her, and the way she accomplishes her goals and takes life lessons to heart makes her a protagonist for the ages.
