Anna and Elsa are princesses and queens in the Frozen movies, yet neither belongs to Disney’s official Princess lineup. They’re among the best-known examples of what fans call honorary Disney Princesses: royal characters and Disney heroines who aren’t official members of the Disney Princess franchise.
Other frequently discussed characters include Giselle from Enchanted, Elena of Avalor, Sofia the First, Kida from Atlantis, and even Princess Leia from Star Wars. Characters such as Mirabel, Asha, Megara, and Esmeralda are sometimes included in broader fan lists, even though they aren’t necessarily princesses in their own stories.
There is one important thing to understand before comparing them: Disney does not have an official honorary Disney Princess list. It’s an informal fan category, and different lists include different characters.
Honorary Disney Princesses List
The following characters are examples of Disney royalty, princess-like heroines, or characters frequently discussed in unofficial Disney Princess lists. None is currently a member of Disney’s official Princess franchise.
| Character | Movie or Series | Why She Is Included in Fan Lists |
|---|---|---|
| Anna | Frozen | Princess of Arendelle who later becomes queen |
| Elsa | Frozen | Princess who becomes Queen of Arendelle |
| Giselle | Enchanted | Fairy-tale heroine inspired by classic Disney Princesses |
| Elena | Elena of Avalor | Crown princess who becomes queen |
| Sofia | Sofia the First | Disney Junior princess |
| Kida | Atlantis: The Lost Empire | Atlantean princess who becomes queen |
| Vanellope | Wreck-It Ralph | Video game princess who meets the Disney Princesses |
| Mirabel | Encanto | Disney heroine, but not royal |
| Asha | Wish | Fairy-tale heroine, but not royal |
| Megara | Hercules | Popular animated heroine, not a princess |
| Esmeralda | The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Disney heroine, not a princess |
| Jane Porter | Tarzan | Adventurous Disney heroine |
| Alice | Alice in Wonderland | Classic Disney heroine, not royal |
| Princess Leia | Star Wars | Royal character in a separate Disney-owned franchise |
This is an illustrative fan-style list rather than an official Disney ranking or complete roster. Some names, particularly Alice, Jane, and Megara, are better understood as unofficial Disney heroines than literal princesses.
Why Anna and Elsa Are Considered Honorary Disney Princesses
Anna and Elsa are probably the most recognizable examples because they have genuine royal titles in the Frozen story.
Elsa begins the original Frozen as a princess and becomes Queen of Arendelle. Anna remains a princess through much of the story before becoming queen at the end of Frozen 2, when Elsa leaves the throne.
Despite those titles, neither sister appears among the 13 characters on Disney’s official Princess website.
The likely explanation is how Disney markets Frozen. The movies have their own recognizable characters, music, attractions, merchandise, and franchise identity. Disney can promote Anna and Elsa together through Frozen without placing them in the broader Disney Princess brand.
However, Disney hasn’t published a definitive statement confirming that commercial success is the reason for their exclusion. Their separate marketing identity is an observable fact, while the precise business decision is less clear.
They also appear alongside other Disney Princesses in Ralph Breaks the Internet, which adds to the confusion. Appearing in a princess crossover scene doesn’t automatically make a character an official franchise member.
For a closer look at their royal titles and Disney’s branding, read are Anna and Elsa Disney Princesses?.
Disney Characters Who Are Princesses but Not Official Disney Princesses
Anna and Elsa aren’t the only characters who are royal in their stories without appearing in the official Disney Princess lineup.
Elena of Avalor
Elena is one of the clearest examples of a Disney princess outside the official franchise.
She is introduced as the Crown Princess of Avalor in the Disney animated television series Elena of Avalor. Her story follows her efforts to protect her kingdom and develop into a capable ruler.
Elena eventually becomes queen in the series finale. Disney has described her as its first Latina princess, but she isn’t one of the 13 characters in the main Disney Princess brand.
Her royal status is established in her own series, regardless of her exclusion from the franchise lineup.
Sofia the First
Sofia is another genuine princess who isn’t an official member of Disney’s main Princess franchise.
In Sofia the First, Sofia becomes a princess when her mother marries King Roland II. The series follows her experiences learning about royal life, friendship, and responsibility.
She also encounters established Disney Princess characters during the series, making her connection to the wider Disney Princess universe especially clear.
Nevertheless, Sofia belongs to the Disney Junior character franchise rather than the official 13-member lineup.
Kida from Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Kidagakash Nedakh, usually called Kida, is the daughter of the King of Atlantis in Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
She is a princess within the story and eventually becomes queen. Her character combines adventure, courage, and a royal background, making her a natural inclusion in expanded fan discussions of Disney Princesses.
Despite her royal status, Kida has never been part of Disney’s current official Princess lineup.
Princess Leia from Star Wars
Princess Leia is a royal character in the Star Wars universe, which Disney acquired through its purchase of Lucasfilm.
Fans sometimes joke that this technically makes Leia a Disney Princess, but that isn’t how Disney’s Princess franchise operates.
Star Wars has its own characters, stories, merchandise, and identity. Leia’s title and importance within Star Wars don’t place her in the Disney Princess lineup.
Disney Heroines Fans Sometimes Call Honorary Princesses
Some characters commonly included in unofficial lists aren’t princesses at all. Their connection comes from the way their stories resemble classic Disney Princess films.
Giselle from Enchanted
Giselle may be the closest thing to a traditional Disney Princess who isn’t officially included in the franchise.
Enchanted deliberately draws on familiar Disney fairy-tale conventions. Giselle sings, talks with animals, wears elaborate gowns, and dreams of finding true love before being transported from her animated world to modern New York.
Her character is closely associated with classic Disney Princess storytelling, but she doesn’t appear in the official Princess lineup.
There has been speculation that licensing issues related to Amy Adams’ likeness affected her inclusion. However, without a definitive statement from Disney, I wouldn’t present that explanation as an established fact.
Mirabel from Encanto and Asha from Wish
Mirabel Madrigal and Asha are two modern Disney heroines who are sometimes compared with the official Princess characters.
Mirabel is the central heroine of Encanto. She comes from a magical family in Colombia but has no royal title. Her story emphasizes family relationships, courage, and finding her place without the extraordinary gifts possessed by her relatives.
Asha from Wish is a young heroine living in the kingdom of Rosas. She challenges King Magnifico after discovering troubling truths about his control over people’s wishes.
Neither Mirabel nor Asha is a princess within her story, and neither belongs to the official Disney Princess lineup. Their inclusion in broader fan lists is based on their roles as central Disney heroines, not royalty.
Vanellope von Schweetz
Vanellope is an interesting example because her princess identity is actually part of Wreck-It Ralph.
Her status as the rightful ruler of Sugar Rush is revealed during the original movie, although she ultimately chooses a different approach to leadership.
In Ralph Breaks the Internet, Vanellope meets a group of Disney Princesses in a scene that plays with the traditions and expectations of classic princess movies.
The scene includes Anna and Elsa along with officially branded Princess characters. It’s a fun crossover, but Disney’s official franchise roster remains separate from the movie’s collection of characters.
Megara, Esmeralda, Jane and Alice
Megara from Hercules, Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Jane Porter from Tarzan, and Alice from Alice in Wonderland are additional Disney heroines sometimes grouped into expanded princess discussions.
None has a conventional royal title in her original Disney story. Their connection to the honorary category is more subjective.
Megara is known for her wit and relationship with Hercules. Esmeralda is a courageous character who stands against injustice. Jane is an adventurous young woman exploring an unfamiliar world, while Alice is one of Disney’s best-known early animated heroines.
They demonstrate how broad the word “honorary” can become when fans use it to include almost any memorable Disney heroine.
What Makes a Disney Princess Official?
Disney currently features 13 official Disney Princess characters: Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida, Moana, and Raya.
The lineup is a Disney-managed character franchise. It doesn’t include every royal character from the company’s movies, television series, or acquired properties.
For example, Mulan isn’t born a princess and doesn’t become one through marriage, yet she is an official Disney Princess. Meanwhile, Anna, Elsa, Sofia, Elena, and Kida have genuine royal titles but aren’t members of that franchise.
There isn’t a simple public checklist of royal qualifications that explains every character’s inclusion or exclusion. The most reliable way to identify official members is to check Disney’s own Princess character directory.
See my official Disney Princess list for the full character-by-character explanation, or visit the Disney Princess official website.
Do Honorary Disney Princesses Count Toward the Official Total?
No. There are 13 characters in Disney’s official Princess lineup, and the unofficial characters discussed here do not increase that count.
When you see lists containing 20, 30, or 40 Disney Princesses, the author is usually using a broader definition that may include queens, television princesses, Disney heroines, and other characters.
That can make for an interesting fan discussion, but it shouldn’t be confused with Disney’s official franchise roster.
My guide to who are the 40 Disney Princesses? explores how these expanded lists work and why they produce different totals.
Can You Meet Honorary Disney Princesses in the Parks?
Some unofficial Princess characters appear in Disney theme park attractions, character encounters, shows, and seasonal entertainment.
Anna and Elsa are particularly prominent because Frozen has dedicated attractions and character experiences at several Disney destinations.
Alice is another recognizable character who may appear in Fantasyland-related experiences, while other characters from this list can be considerably harder to find.
However, a character’s presence at a Disney park doesn’t mean she’s a member of the official Disney Princess franchise. Character appearances and schedules can also change.
If you’re planning a character-focused trip, review my Disney Princess attractions guide and confirm specific character experiences with the park before visiting.
The important takeaway is that honorary Disney Princesses aren’t an officially recognized Disney roster. They’re a collection of royal characters and heroines that fans enjoy discussing alongside the 13 official Princesses. Anna and Elsa are the clearest examples, but characters such as Elena, Sofia, Giselle, Kida, Mirabel, and Vanellope show how widely the unofficial category can extend.
