Beauty is only skin deep. Although we’ve all heard that saying, we still appreciate and are attracted to, a pretty face. And Walt Disney did little to correct that trend. His first three Princesses were heavy on the looks, light on true depth. But 30 years
have passed and the final six official Princesses have worn a different tiara.
So who would be the fairest Princess of them all if we added more than beauty into the equation? To find out, we will gauge each Princess on the following criteria: Independence; Judgment; Contribution; Personality; and of course, Physical Appearance.
Let’s start by meeting the contestants:
Snow White (1937) – SW
Cinderella (1950) – CIN
Aurora (1959) – SB
Ariel (1989) – LM
Belle (1991) – BEL
Jasmine (1992) – JAS
Pocahontas (1995) – POC
Mulan (1998) – MUL
Substitute: Rapunzel (2011) – RAP
Tiana had to bow out of the contest due to other commitments, and the fact that I haven’t seen her movie The Princess and the Frog yet.
Independence
SW, CIN, and SB definitely lose this category. They were little more than bystanders in their own lives. LM, BEL, JAS, MUL, and RAP all lived in restrictive times but were able to rise above that to find their own path. But each did rely on others to help them do it. So this round goes to Pocahontas.
This Indian Princess was independent from the get go! She had a strong will and a determination to try new things which ultimately led to bridges being built between two very different cultures.
Runner Up: Mulan
Judgment
Again, our first three Princesses didn’t have many decisions to make. Others did it for them, or to them, in the case of Cinderella. When she decided to venture out, it was under the protection of her Fairy Godmother. But that’s not enough to win this round.
LM also loses this round because she went to an evil Witch to get what she wanted! RAP also loses for trusting a thief, although no one could blame her considering the situation!
So that leaves it to the final four Princesses. JAS snuck out from the safety of her palace, but was in no real danger, as she could always identify herself for protection. POC and MUL both risked a lot and put them themselves in great danger, but it was for a
good cause.
But I’m giving this round to Belle. She decided to sacrifice herself, her freedom, and her future, to save her ailing Father. A nobler thing I can’t imagine!
Runner Up: Cinderella
Contribution
SW, CIN, and SB were all good housekeepers. They sang well and were kind to animals. For their times, those were good contributions.
LM, JAS, and RAP were more about their personal journeys. They did touch others along the way, but their stories were more about them.
That leaves BEL, POC, and MUL. BEL eventually left the Beast, although she did return. But I’m disqualifying her for that anyway. And although POC did make for peace, I have to give this round to Mulan. Hey, she helped win a war!
Runner Up: Pocahontas
Personality
All of our contestants have good personalities. But let’s see if we can eliminate some in a lightning round. SW: Too sweet. SB: Not enough to go on. LM: Possibly a bit selfish. BEL: A tad condescending to her ‘provincial’ neighbors? JAS: Spoiled. POC: A bit too intense. MUL: Conflicted.
I’m giving this to Cinderella. No matter how horrid everyone was too her, she just kept singing and working and… loving! Even after her Prince came, she didn’t hold a grudge against her wicked stepfamily. Now that’s character!
Runner Up: Rapunzel
Physical Appearance
This is purely a matter of taste. Some of the Disney Princesses are more overtly sexual than others, even though that’s not something we’re supposed to notice. But come on, a clamshell bra? Who wouldn’t notice? But for me, Jasmine wins this round!
Runner Up: Aurora
And the Winner is…
So if we add up the points, which is the ultimate Princess? The fairest of the fair? Rating each Princess on each of the categories with a 1 for least and 5 for the most relevant, the winner is:
Pocahontas
Runner Up: Cinderella. And hoping that both break a heel on the way to the podium: Belle
If you disagree, leave a comment and tell me why!
Let our friends at Destinations to Travel help you book your next Disney Vacation. They are the preferred Travel Agency of Chip and Company and Disney Addicts, and who we use ourselves.
Get started below for your FREE No Obligation Quote.
Book With our friends at Destinations to Travel
For the BEST in Disney, Universal, Dollywood, and SeaWorld Theme Park News, Entertainment, Merchandise & More follow us on, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. Don't forget to check out the Chip and Company Radio Network too!
it is really unfair to have a contest like this excluding only ONE of the 9 Disney Princesses. You’ve included Rapunzel who is not a princess and omitted Tiana who is the official 9th princess? Since you haven’t seen The Princess and the Frog wait until you do before doing a comparison like this.
The current line-up of the Disney Princess franchise from Wikipedia. Snow White, Pocahontas, Aurora, Ariel, Tiana, Cinderella, Jasmine, Belle, Mulan.