Buzz
To become a 'Disney Princess,' a character must meet specific criteria.
Disney has countless female characters, famous beauties, but only 12 of them are considered 'Disney Princesses.' This short list includes Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida, and the latest addition, Moana. This has raised many questions about Disney's criteria for selecting 'Disney Princesses,' leaving several characters overlooked and regretful.
Anna and Elsa
Despite their widespread influence over the years, both Elsa and Anna from Frozen have never been officially recognized as 'Disney Princesses.' After Elsa becomes the Queen, Anna naturally becomes the princess of Arendelle. Despite their clear royal status, neither sister is officially recognized as princesses by Disney. Many speculate that Elsa being a 'queen' may have led to their exclusion, affecting her unfortunate sister Anna as well.
Megara
The captivating and mysterious lady in Hercules also left many fans disappointed for not being recognized as a 'princess.' In the movie, Megara demonstrates her courage by taking control of her own fate, mastering her life, and fighting for the one she loves. In the end, she finds happiness with Hercules, and with her divine royal status as his wife, Megara should rightfully become a princess. However, perhaps because Hercules renounced his divine status in the film, she loses this title as well.
Esmeralda
The main character of The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a rather intriguing case as she almost made it onto the 'Disney Princess' list despite not having royal status or a traditional hero story. When Disney created this list in the early 2000s, Esmeralda was a top contender alongside Ariel and Snow White. However, due to her age and status, she was excluded.
Melody
The adorable little daughter of Ariel and Prince Eric meets all the criteria to become a 'Disney Princess': she comes from a royal lineage (both her mother and father are princess and prince), she is human, and she has her own brave adventure story. However, the only thing that sets Melody apart is that she only... participates in a supporting role in the movie.
Jane
Tarzan's beloved is one of Disney's most powerful, courageous heroines. However, due to not meeting the criteria, Jane was excluded from the 'Disney Princess' list despite being a strong contender. Collider jokingly suggests that if the famous hypothesis 'Tarzan and Elsa from Frozen are cousins' becomes true, then perhaps Jane will be reconsidered.
Giselle
Finally, the most puzzling case - Giselle from the movie Enchanted. Compared to the other beauties mentioned above, Giselle is a typical Disney princess archetype, reminiscent of Cinderella or Aurora. However, what prevents Disney from including Giselle in the official list is the fact that the character is live-action, portrayed by Amy Adams. If Giselle were to become an official 'Disney Princess,' Disney would have to pay image copyright fees to Amy Adams every year, so the company had to abandon this costly idea.
Source: Collider
