As some of the most recognizable female animated characters of all time, Disney's princesses have become as intrinsic to the House of Mouse as many of its iconic mascots. Their popularity led to the development of the official Disney Princesses brand, which includes classic protagonists like Snow White, Disney Renaissance favorites like Ariel, and modern heroines like Tiana and Moana.
Aside from the twelve official members, fans have taken to including some of their favorite animated and live-action female characters into the prestigious princess circle, whether they're royalty or not.
10 Esmeralda Is As Independent As Disney Renaissance Princesses Get
In 1996, American actress Demi Moore lent her voice to Esmeralda, a Romani dancer who befriends Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Her kind personality and striking features instantly made Esmeralda a standout within the cast of characters and turned her into a fan favorite.
Despite not holding any noble titles, Esmeralda is often grouped with prominent Disney princesses, particularly independent and headstrong Disney Renaissance protagonists like Jasmine and Pocahontas. She might not be a royal, but Esmeralda sure knows how to win over the people's hearts.
9 Jane Porter May Not Be A Princess, But She's A Clever Aristocrat
Tarzan's Jane Porter is kind-hearted, always hungry for knowledge, and perpetually determined to get to the bottom of everything. Not only does she manage to bond with Tarzan without really speaking his language, but she also slowly but surely manages to bridge the distance between his feral nature and his humanity.
Jane resembles clever princesses like Belle and Tiana in many ways, and that's what makes it so difficult to believe that she has yet to join their ranks. While she's not a princess, it's clear that she's some sort of aristocrat back home, so what's stopping Disney from making it official already?
8 Vanellope Von Schweetz Is Still A Princess Despite Her Childish Looks
At the end of Wreck-It Ralph, it's revealed that Vanellope von Schweetz, Ralph's friend and extremely glitchy racer, is actually the princess and main character of the Sugar Rush arcade game. Despite this revelation, she's still not considered a Disney princess.
Since she's so aesthetically different from the other princesses, who appear as teens or young adults in contrast to her Vanellope's features, it almost makes sense that she hasn't officially joined their band. Vanellope does get to temporarily bond with the princess club in Ralph Breaks the Internet when she encounters her fellow animated royals and befriends them.
7 Amy Adams As Giselle Is The Closest Thing To A Hollywood Princess
In late 2007, Amy Adams lived a fairytale when she played Giselle in Disney's animated/live-action hybrid musical Enchanted. After being magically transported to New York City from the colorful land of Andalasia, Giselle falls in love with a modern man instead of fulfilling her destined role as a princess.
The whimsical elements of the story and Giselle's dreamy, fish-out-of-water personality immediately turned her into one of Disney's most memorable live-action characters. Amy Adams is the closest thing to a real-life Hollywood princess, so it's fitting for Giselle to be one, even if it's just an honorary title.
6 Megara Is A Fan-Favorite Anti-Princess
Initially presented as the femme fatale of Hercules, Megara has gone on to become one of Disney's most beloved heroines. Everything about her—from her thin, graphic eyebrows and slightly revealing neckline to her devious, sarcastic personality—makes her the ideal anti-princess. As a result, she's often included in the list of honorary princesses as one of the favorites.
Megara's signature song, the doo-wop love anthem parody "I Won't Say (I'm In Love)" is also one of Disney Animation's most iconic songs and a hit with fans. In the end, Megara might not be what Disney deems 'the perfect princess,' but she remains one of the best female characters of the 1990s.
5 Kida Should've Joined Her Fellow Princesses A Long Time Ago
Early into the new millennium, Disney produced one of the studio's most underrated films, Atlantis, a sci-fi/adventure flick about a team of explorers searching for the mythical lost continent. Upon arriving, the main character Milo meets Kida, the strong yet compassionate daughter of the King of Atlantis.
While Kida occasionally appears alongside other Disney princesses in various media, she's not considered an official team member and doesn't receive the same promotion they do on Disney Parks and merchandise. Over the years, she has become one of the most popular animated female characters of the 2000s for her unique look and charming personality.
4 Elsa & Anna Have Their Own Multi-Million-Dollar Franchise
That's right! Believe it or not, two of Disney's most famous princesses of the last decade are not considered part of the official Disney Princesses brand. Elsa and Anna debuted in the 2013 animated musical Frozen, the Disney Animation smash hit that went on to gross over $1 billion at the box office and spawned several spin-offs, including a 2019 sequel and various short films and series.
Given their skyrocketing popularity, Elsa and Anna have no need to join the already overcrowded Princesses circle. They have their own multi-million-dollar franchise and many fans already consider them their favorite Disney royals after all.
3 Amelia Mignotte Thermopolis Renaldi, Queen Of Genovia, Connected With Fans Like No Other Princess Did
The film adaptation of Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries gifted fans one of Anne Hathaway's most iconic roles—the scatterbrained and hardworking Princess Mia. Seeing her go from an insecure teenager in the first film to the determined Queen of Genovia in the second made fans feel a connection that no classic Disney princess had managed to create until then.
The only thing stopping Mia from being perfect for the Princesses brand is the fact that she's a live-action character, but fans would like to believe that her status as a queen puts her above most of her animated equals.
2 Anastasia Ticks All The Disney Princess Boxes
Disney's acquisition of Fox in early 2019 raised several questions, but the internet was only concerned with one: would Fox's fictional rendition of Princess Anastasia Romanova join Cinderella and her fellow princesses now that the studios would be merging? It was unlikely from the start, but fans nevertheless rejoiced at the slight possibility.
Anastasia was never integrated into Disney the way some were expecting, but there's no denying she ticks most, if not all, of the Disney Princess boxes. Tragic past? Check. An evil magic user is after her? Check. Does she get her happily ever after and belong to Disney now? Check and check.
1 Leia Is As Iconic As A Princess Can Get
Princess Leia is an icon. From her instantly-recognizable cinnamon bun hairstyle and incredibly daring metal bikini (which has its own Wikipedia page, by the way) to her command skills and self-assured personality; there's no element of her character that didn't completely revolutionize female characters of the late 1970s and 1980s.
When Disney bought Lucasfilm and announced more Star Wars films were on the way, the internet made sure to welcome Leia as one of the studio's princesses with as much enthusiasm as it could. Her life in space might not have been a fairytale, but Princess Leia will always be everyone's number one honorary Disney royal.