Before, the Disney princes were the standard of every little girl’s idea of a prince charming. These princes were the key to achieving a happily ever after, sparkles and hopefully a glittery ball gown from your fairy godmother. Plus, the more handsome the prince, the better!
Today, the same standard does not apply to these princes of Disney. The question of “Who is the prettiest Disney prince?” no longer counts in a society where attitude and perspective in life trump good looks, fame and fortune. It’s all about how they are with women (people, in general), their lifestyle and their perspective.
So here’s an attempt at realistically ranking the Disney princes, judging by each prince’s demeanor, outlook and attitude. Make your own ranking by watching the Disney princess movies in order.
But First, What is a Disney Prince?
Who counts as a Disney Prince? Do all the guys in Moana count since they are princes, too?
Nope. For this list, we’ll be counting the leading men of Disney movies like Prince Philip, Prince Eric, John Smith and the rest.
Also, another note: just because they’re at the bottom of the list, it doesn’t mean they are the worst Disney prince ever. Every prince has his own charm and experienced a growth we all admire. Plus, all of these are just personal thoughts.
So, dress up in your best Disney princess costume and let’s get ranking!
Ranking Disney Princes by Today’s Standards
The Prince (Snow White)
Snow White’s prince is the OG of all Disney princes.
He’s in the last place simply because not much is known about him. “Snow White” didn’t give viewers enough about The Prince so viewers can’t fully judge him as a person. All we know about him is that he filled the stereotypical role of the prince saving the damsel in distress — which is OK.
But today, most women prefer not to stay damsels in distress. They’d rather save themselves than with the help of any man.
If there’s anything we’d pick on the Prince, it’d be kissing a dead stranger. We know; it’s a fairytale and it’s part of Snow White’s story. But the idea of kissing a person you’ve just met is already “shady.” Throw in the fact that you have never spoken a word to this girl and that she’s dead — it just makes one question this Disney prince’s life choices.
Prince Adam (Beauty and the Beast)
There’s no doubt that Prince Adam is one of the hottest Disney princes in the universe. Even when he was a beast, he had his charms sans the tantrums.
But he did keep Belle his prisoner; this is the big bone people pick him with. Their story, as romantic as it was due to Disney’s touch, may seem like a classic case of Stockholm syndrome. Today, no one’s a big fan of forcing love down one’s throat or holding a person hostage to make them fall in love with you. Plus, Prince Adam was incredibly mean to Belle. If he was a real person today, he’d be tagged as an abuser.
But this is the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast. Everything is happy for the kids. And we have to get Adam some credit. He experienced a slow personal transformation after saving Belle from the wolves. He learned to love eventually. Plus, he got her a huge library — that is the way to any bookworm’s heart.
Prince Charming (Cinderella)
Considered as “another generic Disney prince,” Prince Charming is still the father of the princes that followed him (After Snow White’s prince, of course). People know Prince Charming for being the guy who relentlessly searched for the girl whose foot size matched the glass slipper.
Prince Charming is also one of the poster boys for “Love at first sight.” The concept isn’t new in today’s dating scene but it is different. Now it’s “Love at first swipe.” So, there’s no arguing with Prince Charming in terms of him falling in love with Cinderella ASAP.
Kudos to him and his search operation, though. The determination to find his one true love is admirable. All the King’s horses and all the King’s men were used to helping the Disney prince find the girl who owned the glass slipper. We got to give him points for that.
Prince Philip (Sleeping Beauty)
Prince Philip of Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” was one of the first princes to shed the generic Disney prince image. He had more personality compared to his predecessors. Plus, he was a bit funny, especially when he first met Aurora. Plus, the kids in Disneyland love him.
Prince Philip was the first Disney prince to actually fight for his princess. When Aurora was trapped in the castle, Philip battled Maleficent to save the sleeping princess. A thousand points for his excellent swordsmanship!
Prince Eric (Little Mermaid)
Disney’s Prince Eric had the dreamiest blue eyes. No one can blame Ariel for falling head over heels with him (although we disagree with the “Giving up your talent just to be with a guy” part of the story). Ever since he heard Ariel sing, he was determined to find her (even though he didn’t know the mute girl he was with was already the girl he was looking for).
Prince Eric gets points for his loyalty to his true love at first and for realizing that he can love the person who was already in front of him (thanks for the advice, Grimsby!).
Prince Naveen (The Princess and the Frog)
This Disney prince started as a slacker who was extremely vain, lazy and spoiled. He was the typical F—boy — loves to party and prefers to live life to the fullest instead of assuming his responsibilities. He wasn’t a big fan of hard labor and attempts all work at all costs. Plus, he thought all women were putty in his hands and loved blaming others.
His becoming a frog and meeting Tiana changed all of these qualities. One of the softest moments in the film was Naveen admitting how useless he felt due to his privileges. He eventually became open to learning the basic skills he lacked. Plus, the best moment was when he was willing to marry Charlotte just so Tiana can have the funds to open her restaurant. His transformation from being a selfish party boy to a selfless frog prince is one for the books. Plus, he’s incredibly hot (a thousand points for that).
Li Shang (Mulan)
Li Shang used to be known as the bossy general that bullied Mulan before falling in love with her. Now, he is known as the bisexual icon in Disney. Developing feelings for Mulan while she was Ping, Li Shang was a bit rattled with the impact Ping had on him (we call it bi feelings, sir!). But when he found out she was Mulan, he went all out with the emotions.
Sure, Shang may have not admitted to it but we love him for being the loveable macho man who’s secretly a softie. Plus, his commanding presence demands your attention and affection.
Flynn Rider (Tangled)
Why is Flynn Rider the best? Sure, he may have been a thief at first, but Flynn (otherwise known as Eugene) and his sense of humor are off the charts. His personality shines brighter than the rest of the Disney princes. He’s not the typical sloppy I’ll-save-my-damsel-in-distress type. If anything, Rapunzel saved him more than he saved her.
Despite being unapologetic at first, Eugene was determined to help Rapunzel achieve her dreams. He was willing to exchange his life for her freedom (we all cried at that scene, admit it). Flynn Rider shone brighter than Rapunzel’s hair when he turned his life around and stopped stealing — except Rapunzel’s heart. He took that one.
Kristoff (Frozen)
At first look, Kristoff doesn’t fill the typical Disney prince mold. But after watching both “Frozen” and “Frozen 2,” everyone agrees that Kristoff is the prince everyone needs. He’s one of the reasons “Frozen” isn’t just another Disney Christmas movie.
Where do we even begin?
From the time that he truth bombed Anna about her relationship with Hans to him singing his feelings in an ‘80s music video, Kristoff is not afraid to be honest and vulnerable. He is the hero of the fight against toxic masculinity.
Although most Disney princes are all about saving their princesses, Kristoff considers himself and Anna as a team. In “Frozen 2,” as he saves Anna from the giants, he doesn’t claim that he’ll save her. Instead, he asks her what he can do to help her. In Kristoff, we see that love isn’t fragile indeed.
Every Disney Princess can stand on her own foot but her Disney Prince is an irresistible bonus! Do you agree with our ranking of Disney princes? Who’s your favorite Disney prince?
