In almost every Disney princess movie, the story revolves around the princess needing to be saved. So, while technically the stories’ heroes are the princes, we surprisingly don’t get a lot of insight into who they actually are. So, let’s dive into each of their characters and see who makes it on your #MCM list, even if none of you need a Disney prince to save you from an evil stepmother (I hope not).
- Prince Florian – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
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Not many of us know this prince’s name from Snow White even though he was the first Disney prince. In all honesty, he’s easy to forget – we barely see him in the movie, except for when he comes to save Snow White from the curse. Is he flaky? Shy? A stalker? I’m going to have to rewatch the movie and get back to you.
- Prince Charming – Cinderella
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Unlike Prince Florian, we see Prince Charming in all his glory and witness his pure intentions. After immediately falling in love with Cinderella, he stops at nothing to find her again. The fact that he can’t recognize her face after dancing with her all night is questionable, but maybe the magic spells her fairy godmother placed on her made her unrecognizable to everyone. We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and points for dedication.
- Prince Phillip – Sleeping Beauty
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Prince Phillip is one of the few, if not only, princes we see as a child. Not only that, but he’s also introduced to Aurora when she is first born. The two are separated due to a spell cast by Maleficent, but even though neither of them know the truth, they find one another and fall in love. He falls in love with Aurora thinking she is a peasant and declares to his father that she’s the one he will marry. Maleficent captures Prince Phillip when she finds out about this as she doesn’t want him to save Aurora from her deep slumber. However, when the fairies reach him and tell him the story, he kills Maleficent and saves Aurora, at last.
- Prince Eric – The Little Mermaid
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Prince Eric is definitely a charmer. When Ariel saves him from his shipwreck, he hears her singing and falls in love with her. Ariel makes a deal with Ursula to allow her to become a human for three days, but in return, she loses her voice. When Prince Eric sees Ariel again, he feels she’s the one. However, without her voice, he cannot be sure. Either way, he takes Ariel in as his guest and treats her well. Obviously, Ursula cannot stand to watch the two fall in love, so she transforms herself into a human and uses Ariel’s voice to lure him in and make him fall in love with her instead. Ariel’s friends work together and break the spell to reveal Ursula’s identity, and Prince Eric falls in love with Ariel again.
- Prince Adam – Beauty and the Beast
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Prince Adam is the Beast from Beauty and the Beast. Most people agree that his reveal at the end of the movie is slightly disappointing, but we’re here to talk about his character. It seems in this movie that it is Belle who saves the Beast. Prince Adam’s unkind character is the reason he is cursed and turned into a beast, and his appearance only makes him more spiteful. But when Belle takes her father’s place as his prisoner, she softens him up again. When Gaston comes to save Belle and tries to kills the Beast, Belle realizes she loves the Beast. She kisses him as he dies which breaks the spell, turning him back into Prince Adam.
- Aladdin – Aladdin
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Aladdin is a poor villager who seeks freedom. After he meets Jasmine, the Sultan’s daughter, for the first time, he finds himself stuck in a series of unfortunate events which lead him to a genie. He uses his wishes to make himself appear more wealthy and dignified in the eyes of Jasmine, however, it is Aladdin’s heart that makes Jasmine fall in love with him.
- Li Shang – Mulan
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In terms of saving, Mulan didn’t need rescuing. Shang is able to put his feelings aside and help Mulan when she is in danger. He’s a warrior, ready to lead his team and win the war. He isn’t afraid to listen to a woman once he finds out about Mulan’s truth.
- Prince Naveen – tHE Princess and the Frog
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Prince Naveen is a self-obsessed, greedy prince, and his greed is what leads him into the hands of an evil magician who turns him into a frog. I bet that will humble anyone who’s feeling a little too full of themselves. However, in his journey of becoming more down-to-earth, he accidentally turns Tiana into a frog after mistaking her for a princess who can break the spell with a kiss. After becoming a frog, Tiana changes Prince Naveen’s outlook on life, and he falls in love with her for who she is on the inside. This leads the two characters to share a true love’s kiss, breaking the spell and turning them both into humans again. In a sense, it is Tiana who saves Prince Naveen.
- Flynn Rider – Tangled
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Flynn Rider, also known as Eugene Fitzherbert, is a thief who comes across Rapunzel’s tower. He agrees to sneak her out to see the festival of lights if she gives him back the crown he stole. He’s taken aback by her random singing and astonished by her glowing hair. He falls in love with Rapunzel and shows her the things she’s never seen before, being locked up in her tower. He saves her from Mother Gothel and leads her to her real parents. Talk about character development!
- Kristoff – Frozen
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I find that Kristoff is usually left out of the list of princes – maybe it’s because he’s newer to Disney or because he’s not your typical prince. He doesn’t save Anna with a true love’s kiss like other princes do. Instead, he supports her, has her back and helps her find her sister. After all he did for Anna, I would say he’s definitely underrated.