10 Characters That Should Be Official Disney Princesses

Disney can be pretty finicky when choosing who gets the official Princess title. You’d think it’s just about being the main character in a princess cartoon but no, there actually is a list of requirements one has to fulfill to be granted the Disney Princess status. The first requirement is to be the lead character in a Disney or Pixar film. The second requirement is — you have to be human or at least human-like in the case of Ariel. Third — you’re not allowed a sequel. Fourth is that you have to be born a royal or achieve that status by marrying a royal or doing an act of heroism. And lastly the character should have massive appeal with the audience, have cultural impact and the movie should be a box office success that is neither underwhelming or overwhelming. That last one is almost impossible to achieve these days, but here are 10 characters from Disney’s past that should be promoted to Official Disney Princesses.

Esmeralda, The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda is the hero of Paris. She is a protector of outcasts and a strong, independent woman who always stands up for what she thinks is right. Like many official Disney princesses, she’s smart, confident, and has a kind heart. The only thing that sets her apart and seems to be getting in the way of becoming an “official princess” is that she was not born a royal, nor did she marry a royal.

Giselle, Enchanted

Giselle is, essentially, Snow White or Cinderella. She has the same sweetness, kindness, and she even found a prince! But, what gets in the way of Giselle becoming a princess is money and the cold, cruel rules of business in Hollywood. The movie transforms into live action, and that means that for Giselle to become an official princes (with all the merchandise that comes with the title), Disney would need life-long rights for the likeness of Amy Adams. That’s just not going to happen.

Elena of Avalor

The fact that Elena of Avalor isn’t an official Disney princess is just a technicality. Honestly, with Disney controlling what seems like 99% of all media produced in America, it seems like they could bend their own rules and actually make her a princess. You know what’s stopping them? The fact that it’s a series on Disney Channel and not a movie. That’s ridiculous.

Nala, The Lion King

Look, if you’re having The Queen B play somebody in a live-action adaptation of your classic and widely beloved Golden Era Disney cartoon — you know the character of Nala is capital R Royalty! Nala, obviously, doesn’t qualify to be a Disney princess because she’s not human, but I don’t see why they have to stick to that rule. I know that there are definitely people who would rather part with their hard earned money to buy lion plushies rather than dolls, so the merchandise would definitely sell just as well!