10 Best Princesses In Fiction: From Zelda to Cinderella

When one imagines a princess, they’re likely to meet with two images: the classic princess in a tower who needs rescuing from a gallant prince, or a princess who prefers doing the rescuing herself. With the recent reimagining of Snow White, the upcoming Shrek 4, and coming-soon Frozen installments, fans of princess archetypes will have no shortage of IPs that will try to show more dimensions of these royal daughters. However, those well-versed in older IPs will notice some specific princesses who paved the way for everyone else to show just how dynamic a princess can become.

So when it comes to pop culture’s “best” princesses, we should look into not just their popularity but their overall impact to “princessdom” as a whole – be it through a unique characterization, a kind of depth that reveals being a princess is more than meets the eye, or showing how everyone can “be” a princess, as long as they demonstrate these admirable qualities. However, among all princesses in pop culture and the world at large, just who stands out among the rest?

Mia Thermopolis (The Princess Diaries)

Modern-Day Princess Transformation

• Heir to the Kingdom of Genovia
• Ushered in the era of modern-day girls being princesses
• Showed humility is the best mark of royalty

When shy teenager Mia Thermopolis discovers she’s the heir to the small kingdom of Genovia, The Princess Diaries thrusts her into a world where “princess lessons” had to be learned to be deserving of being her grandmother’s heir-apparent. Mia’s shocking transformation led to a different treatment at school, at the unfortunate cost of a new royal schedule, leading her to neglect her peers. After being exposed to the pressures of living in high society, Mia thinks of renouncing the title until she realizes it’s through one’s attitude – standing up for oneself and others, caring for one’s family, staying loyal to friends – that is what makes a true royalty.

At a time when only Disney Princesses became one’s closest equivalent to being a “real” princess, Mia and her exploits in The Princess Diaries ushered in the trope of modern-day girls being princesses. For teenage girls who thought princesses were for when they were still kids, Mia showed that one can still be deserving of the royal title.

Xena (Xena: Warrior Princess)

A Warrior Who Atones By Saving The Weak

• Originally a spinoff character who earned her own series
• Introduces a female lead in a genre dominated by hardcore male warriors
• Not quite a princess in a traditional sense

Originally introduced as a minor villain in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Lucy Lawless just rocked the role of Xena so hard that fan reception encouraged the creation of her very own spinoff show: Xena: Warrior Princess. Also set in the sword-and-sorcery version of Ancient Greece, Xena is a chakra-rocking former warlord and pirate who wishes to atone for her previous sins by becoming a force of good. Xena, being quite the badass warrior in a world where might makes right, sets her apart from traditional muscled heroes at the time – something that even today can be quite a rare sight.

The “Warrior Princess” isn’t exactly a title she earned due to royalty, but more of a moniker given to her by her mentor and friend, Lao Ma. In giving her this title, Lao Ma implies Xena can be a much greater force in their war-torn land. Throughout the series, Xena accompanies the bard Gabrielle as they embark on numerous adventures – meeting allies and enemies, including the God of War Ares, along the way. Around the end of the series, Xena achieves full atonement by sacrificing her life to help thousands of souls get peace, fighting an entire army by herself. It’s revealed that being Xena is just one of many lives she will lead as a warrior of peace.

Nausicaä (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind)

Ghibli’s Strong Female Lead Done Right

• A popular Studio Ghibli princess
• Prefers non-violence and compassion in a brutal post-apocalyptic world
• Upends savior prophecies, often filled with violence

When one imagines a princess in Studio Ghibli, one would immediately think of San in Princess Mononoke. However, the folks at Ghibli actually created a princess through a film that would be considered as one of the best animated films of all time: Nausicaä from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Set on the remnants of Earth after a seven-day war ravaged the environment and left a Toxic Jungle with mutant insects, Princess Nausicaä of the Valley Kingdom is desperate to find a way for humanity and the denizens of the jungle to coexist.

Throughout the film, Nausicaä’s mission is set back by constant fighting around her, but she’s never one to directly cause conflict. She uses diplomacy and compassion to earn allies, and she’s seen focused more on studying the Toxic Jungle for the benefit of the Valley Kingdom. In the end, Nausicaä is seen fulfilling a savior prophecy stated at the start of the film – and her efforts imply a way to return Earth to its previous state. Nausicaä gives an outward look to the traditional savior prince: instead of saving a kingdom through war, Nausicaä does so through peace.

Princess Zelda (The Legend of Zelda)

Adds A Mythical Depth To The Damsel-In-Distress

The Legend of Zelda

Systems

Released

February 21, 1986

ESRB

E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence

• The namesake of her own franchise
• Possesses the Triforce of Wisdom
• Equal parts mythological figure and damsel-in-distress
• Always worked for her nation, whether behind the scenes or across time
• Remarkably good spellcaster and warrior across her iterations

Despite the memes surrounding Link being in a game that didn’t bear his name, the eponymous Princess Zelda has evolved past just being a damsel to be rescued into a princess who treads the line between fantasy and mythology. Unlike other games where it’s usually just one character across stories, Princess Zelda has “incarnations” – all of whom are rulers (technically princess regnant) of Hyrule, possessing the wisdom of rulers. Beyond early games where she needs to be rescued, Zelda actively helped Link in his mission to save Hyrule – whether as the warrior-mage Sheik, the bow-master Tetra, or using her own Sage powers.

What makes Princess Zelda quite iconic among princesses is how her characterization has naturally added depth to her role in the world of Hyrule. Regardless of the Zelda iteration, Princess Zelda is the mortal version of the Goddess Hylia and was the keeper of the Triforce of Wisdom. Beyond that, she was almost always the ruler of Hyrule, and as such held the fate of the kingdom in her hands. She is compassionate, selfless, and wise – she was willing to surrender herself to foes and even fall into deep sleep if it was necessary to protect her subjects.

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Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon (Sailor Moon)

Demonstrated How Kindness And Friendship Are Strength

Sailor Moon

Release Date

1992 – 1997

Network

tv asahi

Directors

Takao Yoshizawa, Harume Kosaka, Kazuhisa Takenouchi

• The ditzy leader of the Sailor Guardians
• Incarnation of Princess Serenity
• Wielder of the Silver Crystal for healing and reviving her peers
• Popularized the magical girl archetype

Modern magical girls are often given their powers for their bravery and strength of spirit, making them worthy heroes in saving the world. Usagi Tsukino started her adventures in Sailor Moon not as an immediate heroine, but as a ditzy, silly, and often crybaby student who barely has a clue what to do when the stakes are high. Throughout her journey, Usagi assembles the other Sailor Guardians and learns how to use the Silver Crystal. Not only that, but it’s soon discovered that Usagi is actually the incarnation of Princess Serenity – bearing the noble purpose of leading the Silver Millennium and protecting Earth as it evolves.

Aside from rocking one of the most iconic transformations in anime, it’s Usagi and her peers who started the modern hype surrounding magical girls in general. Usagi’s characterization is also rooted in her interactions with her peers, adding surprising depth to her personality. Usagi eventually becomes the pure-hearted and kind leader who often makes mistakes, whose kindness is treated as weakness, but most importantly, doesn’t give up in the face of trouble.

Princess Bubblegum (Adventure Time)

Shows Not All Princesses Are “Just” Princessy

Adventure Time

Release Date

2010 – 2018-00-00

Network

Cartoon Network

Showrunner

Pendleton Ward

• Ruler of the Candy Kingdom, incarnation of the Candy Elemental
• Resilient and dedicated ruler with a whimsical side
• Has quite the scientific, inquisitive “mad scientist” side

While originally introduced as merely Princess Bubblegum of the Candy Kingdom, Adventure Time – in its wacky and weirdly hilarious way – slowly reveals that there’s more to Bonnie than just her rulership. Beyond escaping the wild kidnapping attempts of the Ice King, Princess Bonnie is revealed to be quite the complex character. At first glance, she’s a kind and wise ruler willing to put the needs of her kingdom first before everything else. However, the show also shows Princess Bonnie as someone just as “normal” as everyone else, down to some crises of conscience, and even oddities.

Despite being a playful parody of the princess archetype, Princess Bubblegum shows that not all princesses are “just” kind and friendly. Bonnie is quite smart, with a keen interest in science conferences. She’s seen with a penchant for the “mad sciences”, often conducting “experiments” with tiny creatures or laughing at the face of rather dangerous items. Not only that, but she’s also quite the interesting magical skeptic, dismissing it as more science than anything else. Some incidents in the series would transform Bonnie into more of a pragmatic and cunning ruler, driving herself to the point of exhaustion to fulfill her duties. Among princesses in pop culture, Bonnie is quite the developed character – making her iconic, even for someone from a children’s show.

Princess Peach (Mario)

Evolved Into Her Own Force Of Nature

• Perpetual damsel-in-distress
• An institution among gaming heroines

When it comes to naming a princess in gaming, one would immediately think of Princess Peach. Granted, Peach is almost always being “in another castle” is at this point beyond Easter Egg and treads into the realm of boring cliche, but Nintendo managed to help Peach somewhat “evolve” past being simply Mario’s leading lady. Since her original appearance as Princess Toadstool, Peach became a dominating presence in other Mario media that didn’t involve a lot of platforming – primarily the Sports, Karts, and Party’s that regularly get recreated throughout Nintendo’s console generations. In Super Smash Bros, Peach is known for her excellent juggling and ability to just get people off the ledge, making her quite the high-tier character – maybe unleashing all that pent-up aggression for being kidnapped all the time.

Of course, Peach’s fame also came with a lot of notoriety. Princess Peach consistently reflected the disappointment people had in Nintendo for refusing to switch up the formula in more recent titles, still relegating Peach as an institution among gaming heroines, except for a number of Mario titles. However, it’s perhaps because of Nintendo holding back on Peach that many more game developers are working their way to subvert this kind of trend, making Peach one to thank for this new approach to stronger princesses.

Diana of Themyscira (Wonder Woman)

The Most Iconic Female Superhero

• Real identity of Wonder Woman
• Founding member of the Justice League
• Demigod Princess and Ambassador of Themyscira, the woman-only Paradise Island of Amazons
• Most iconic female superhero

Despite the many retcons of the DC Multiverse, one of the few things that remains constant is that Diana of Themyscira leaves Paradise Island to be its ambassador to the rest of the world, becoming Wonder Woman and a founding member of the Justice League. Being a demigod, she possesses superhuman strength, durability, endurance, and reflexes. She can fly, is a master of martial arts, can defend and unleash powerful force from her Bracelets of Submission, and can use her Lasso of Truth to force the truth out of evildoers.

In the context of comic books, Diana remains the most popular example of a female superhero. Being able to stand side-by-side with giants such as Superman and Batman positions Wonder Woman as a continuing symbol of female empowerment. Despite different personalities throughout the years, Wonder Woman’s ever-present traits include empathy, love, and compassion – both as strengths and weaknesses. Diana is also implied to be queer or bisexual in some stories, making her an LGBT icon as well.

Princess Leia Organa (Star Wars)

Flips The Damsel In Distress In A Galaxy Far, Far Away

• Leader of the Rebel Alliance
• Inverse of a damsel in distress
• Template for the proactive princess

In a time when princesses are women in need of rescuing, Princess Leia Organa took a blaster and shot her way through the oppressive Galactic Empire. Since her first fiery confrontation with Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode 4 – A New Hope, Princess Leia cemented herself as a damsel who would fight for what is right. Granted, Han, Luke, and Chewie did technically rescue her, but she’s soon revealed to be the figurehead of the Rebel Alliance – the galaxy’s last shot at freedom.

It’s soon revealed that Leia is in fact the twin sister of Luke Skywalker, the son of Chosen One Anakin, who turned out to be Darth Vader. This added another layer to Leia’s characterization, as her strength in the Force didn’t force her to become a warrior like her brother. Instead, Leia’s strength is channeled through her resiliency, persistence, and tactical acumen. She always held hope in the direst of times, and represented the proactive princess archetype in a lot of pop culture media since her breakout appearance.

Princess Diana (Real Life)

An Icon For The Modern-Day Princess Of The 20th Century

• The People’s Princess who broke traditions
• Supported various humanitarian causes and charity work

If there’s any modern-day princess anyone would recognize, it was likely the late Diana, Princess of Wales. After being married to Prince Charles in “The Marriage of the Century,” Princess Diana would become the center of “Dianamania,” which for the first time turned the royal family’s private lives into ones the media would watch very closely. To the media, Princess Diana made a mark for being quite the “unorthodox” member of the royalty, to the point of even having her own sense of fashion and a penchant for breaking traditions.

It’s this publicity work, and the way Princess Diana used it to promote good causes, that cemented her as perhaps the most prominent figure of charity work in the 20th Century. She took an interest in causes normally outside the royal family’s jurisdiction, such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, and leprosy – often providing patronage to various charities. Princess Diana was also popular for having shaken hands with AIDS patients, which was helpful in her goal to remove the stigma associated with the three aforementioned diseases at the time. Beyond her charity work, Princess Diana was known for things such as writing thank-you notes to gift-givers, auctioning her famous dresses to donate to charity, and even racing barefoot with other mothers at her sons’ school.