Disney princesses live in a world of impossible loveliness, handsome princes, happy endings and power ballads. No surprise, then, that millions of little girls adore them and hanker after the glittery merchandise that’s part of the Disney dream. But parents and psychologists have raised concerns over messaging on passivity and male control.
Luckily, there are some Disney royals that buck the trend. Here are 8 princesses who make feisty, not fragile, role models:
1 Merida
Fiery, determined and a self-rescuer, Brave’s leading lady is allowed to have a flaw or two and can even be (whisper it) spiteful. There was uproar in 2013 when Merida was redesigned ahead of her induction to the princess list. When her original creator, Brenda Chapman, criticised the vampish makeover, Disney restored Merida to her more wholesome, girly look.
2 Rapunzel
The Tangled heroine has some complex mother-daughter issues to deal with. Rapunzel has the courage to save herself instead of waiting around to be rescued. She’s also more than capable of rescuing her leading man and finally breaks the stranglehold of her impostor mother’s apron strings. 
3 Pocahontas
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Pocahontas was originally criticised for straying from historic events and falling back on racial stereotypes. Despite that, Pocahontas herself shows concern for the common good and for her people. She’s a lover of nature and has the courage to go after what she wants in life, even when that goes against her father’s wishes.
4 & 5 – Anna and Elsa of Arendelle
The stars of Frozen are set to join the Disney princess pantheon later this year. Fighting to save her misunderstood sister Elsa, Anna is a girl on a mission, and doesn’t let the odd setback stop her. The sisters enjoy the attentions of their respective love interests, but don’t let them get in the way of their family bond.
6 Princess Elena of Avalor
The stage is set for Disney’s first Latin-American princess, but her debut is limited to the small screen for now. Advance publicity promises that Elena will be “bold, caring, funny”. She’ll be introduced next year on Disney Junior’s Sophia the First and is set to develop “thoughtfulness, resilience and compassion, the traits of all truly great leaders”.
7 Tiana
Disney’s first African-American princess broke the traditional mould. She has a passion for business and when her love interest inconveniently turns into a frog, Tiana has the wisdom to see beyond his looks. The Princess and the Frog is a story of success through hard work, and determination in the face of challenges.
8 Cinderella
March sees the release of a remake, in live action, of the 1950s animation. The original movie was the classic tale of a girl who bags a rich man to rescue her from drudgery, but director Kenneth Branagh promises that his Cinderella (Downton’s Lily James) will be motivated by “kindness and courage”. We’ll wait and see how revolutionary this princess is. Disney has already had to deny online rumours that they digitally enhanced James’s waist to make her fit princess proportions.
