These Are the Only 13 Official Disney Princesses in January of 2026. You might think you know the Disney Princesses, but the “official” list is actually much smaller than you’d expect. Even in 2026, Disney is incredibly picky about who gets a seat at the table. With the news of Disney’s Tangled Live-Action remake, it was time to look at who is considered an “Official Disney Princess” in 2026!
So, Who is a Disney Princess? As of 2026, here is the ‘Official’ Disney Princess List:
- Snow White
- Cinderella
- Aurora
- Ariel
- Belle
- Jasmine
- Pocahontas
- Mulan
- Tiana
- Rapunzel
- Merida
- Moana
- Raya
Walking through the parks or browsing the store, it feels like every female lead is a princess. But from a branding standpoint, Disney says “no.” There is a strict 13-member royal court, and some of the biggest names in Disney Animation movie history are excluded.
The Secret Rules of Royalty
Disney doesn’t just hand out the “Official Disney Princess” title to anyone with a crown. To be part of this specific brand, a character has to meet a weirdly particular set of corporate rules. Actually, they do hand it out to those who actually dont have a crown! Looking at you, Mulan.
First, they have to be a human, or maybe just two legs? (Ariel did become human) from a Walt Disney Animation Studios film. Second, they have to be a box-office success. But the real clincher? They have to be “coronated.” Disney actually holds official induction ceremonies to welcome a new member into the brand. If a character hasn’t had that ceremony, they aren’t on the list. Except they didn’t hold a coronation ceremony for Moana or Raya… they did announce Raya though.
But, you are sitting there reading this, screaming at your screen with a look of disgust on your face, saying, ‘What about Kida from Atlantis: Lost Empire, Anastasia from Anastasia, Sofia from Sofia the First, Megara, or Vanellope von Schweetz (I mean, she did have the scene with Disney Princesses in Ralph Breaks the Internet!).
Branding is why you won’t see characters like Nala (not human) or Megara (not the primary lead) on the official list. Branding is why Frozen’s Anna & Elsa are excluded!
The most common question fans ask is: “Where are Anna and Elsa?” Even though they are literal royalty, they aren’t part of the 13 official Disney Princesses. The reason is purely financial. Frozen became such a massive powerhouse that Disney decided to keep it as its own standalone brand. Plus, aren’t they considered Queens?
By keeping Frozen separate from the “Princess” brand, Disney can market them as two different entities. It’s the same reason Asha from Wish hasn’t been added yet: Disney often waits to see if a character’s brand is stronger on its own before merging them into the main royal lineup.
When a character is “Official,” it dictates where they appear in the theme parks and how they are grouped on Disney+. If a character isn’t on this list, they are technically part of a different branch of the Disney company. Next time you see a group of princesses together, count them up. If you see 13, you’re looking at the official Disney Princess lineup!
Which Disney character do you think deserves to be the 14th official member?
