The Official List of Disney Princesses in Order

The 13 Disney Princesses, in film order

Snow White premiered in Los Angeles on 21 December 1937 and went on general US release in February 1938. Walt Disney Productions and Walt Disney Feature Animation are earlier names of today's Walt Disney Animation Studios, so 12 of the 13 films come from one studio. The exception is Brave, made by Pixar; the Disney+ guide files it in its Pixar collection.

Each heroine's age, and where the number comes from, is on our Disney Princess ages page. MPA ratings, running times and scary scenes for all 13 films are in Disney Princess movies in order for kids.

Who is royal, and who isn't

Six of the 13 are princesses by birth: Snow White, Aurora, Ariel, Jasmine, Rapunzel and Merida. Cinderella and Tiana marry princes on screen. Belle's story ends with the Beast turned back into a prince, but the 1991 film stops before any wedding.

Three heroines are chiefs' daughters rather than kings' daughters. Disney's Pocahontas page calls her a leader of the Powhatan tribe, whose chief is her father. Moana is heir to the chiefdom of Motunui, and Raya is the daughter of Chief Benja of Heart, one of the five lands of Kumandra. Raya's producer, Osnat Shurer, told Entertainment Tonight in 2021 that the filmmakers kept Raya a princess because she is the chief's daughter and was raised to lead.

Mulan has no royal title at all. She is in the lineup for what she does in her film: she takes her father's place in the army and saves China.

What makes a princess official

Disney does not publish formal rules for the franchise, but Wikipedia's summary is a fair guide. The heroine leads a theatrical animated film from a Disney-owned studio, and that film is the first in its series. She is human in her usual form and usually royal: by birth, by marriage or as a chief's daughter.

Heroines who do something exceptionally heroic can also qualify, which is how Mulan fits. Sales matter too.

Who isn't on the list, and why

• Elsa and Anna (Frozen, 2013). Frozen is sold as its own franchise. The sisters appeared in parts of the Ultimate Princess Celebration, which Disney launched on 27 April 2021, and were removed from that collection at the end of August 2022. The full answer is in Is Elsa a Disney Princess?
• Sofia and Elena. They come from Disney TV series, Sofia the First and Elena of Avalor, while the lineup draws on theatrical films. Details are in Are Sofia and Elena Disney Princesses?
• Tinker Bell and Esmeralda. Both were in the original lineup formalized in 2000 and were removed in 2005. Tinker Bell moved to her own franchise, Disney Fairies.
• Megara from Hercules (1997). Fans often ask about her, but she is not on Disney's list, and Wikipedia's history of the franchise does not name her among past members.
• Jane Porter (Tarzan) and Giselle (Enchanted). Disney considered both at different points, but neither officially joined.

When each princess was added

Tiana, Rapunzel and Merida had public coronations. Moana and Raya joined quietly, which is one reason older articles still list 11 or 12 princesses.

Where to check the list yourself

Disney's princess site shows the 13 heroines as pictures and names, with very little text. The Disney+ guide is easier to quote: it lists the films in order and answers "How many Disney Princesses are there?" with 13. Both are linked in the sources below. If a list you find includes Elsa, Sofia or 14 names, it is mixing the franchise with Disney heroines in general.

Several of these heroines have counterparts in Russian fairy tales. Snow White's story, for one, shares its tale type with Pushkin's "Tale of the Dead Princess." We match up the pairs in Disney Princesses and Their Russian Fairy-Tale Counterparts.