Summary
Disneyprinces have undeniably, made massive improvements from when they first debuted in a Disney animated film. They have shifted from background characters who are cardboard cutouts that exist solely to fix things in the plot to fully fleshed-out characters who grow and learn throughout the film.
Of course, that leaves you to wonder who the best official Disney prince is, and while there are a handful of them, it’s surprisingly easy to parse through. The best Disney prince doesn’t necessarily have to have royal status, but he should be a well-rounded character who can learn from his mistakes and stand his ground.
Updated on Aug 01, 2025, by Christopher Padilla:We’ve added some villanous royalty into the mix. Though not falling under the “Disney Prince,” these royal schemers are technically Disney, and technically princes. We compare them to the official princes and see where their cunning, ruthlessness, and ambitionget them in the rankings versus their goody two-shoes counterparts. Be it by raw power, scheming, or a mix of both, these bad boys are gonna take that thrones– one way or the other.
14Prince Florian, Snow White
Prince Florian (yes, he has a name) is probably the worst of the Disney princes because he’s barely a character. He hardly appears in the Snow White animated film, and the most credit we can give him is that he woke Snow White up and interacted with her a little bit.
Perhaps in a Snow White animated remake, Prince Florian would be a better character, but for now, he’s one of the worst. To his credit, though, he’s going up against some incredibly tough competition.
13Prince John, Robin Hood
A (literal) thumbsucking dweeb who’s closer to a weasel than his lion heritage would suggest, Prince John is perhaps the least compelling prince or villain in all of Disney. However, he still is a prince (and a villain).
To his credit, he’s not without cunning. With some help from his advisor Sir Hiss, he tricks his brother King Richard into a pointless crusade and immediately usurps the throne, taxing the kingdom blind the first chance he got. A momma’s boy and coward, Prince John is almost as clever as he is unlikeable.
12John Smith, Pocahontas
John Smith is an official Disney prince despite not actually being a prince. Although John Smith is painted to be a strong, capable man in Pocahontas, he’s a bit useless when compared to the other Disney princes.
Sure, he has a gun, but he hasn’t fought a monster that most would tremble in their boots thinking of, nor did he chase down Pocahontas. To his credit, in this movie John Smith is arguably painted as a progressive person who wants to move past discrimination in favor of friendship and love, but it doesn’t seem that hard to convince everybody else either.
11Prince Charming, Cinderella
Prince Charming may not have conquered a dragon, saved the kingdom, or figured out how to reverse some unknown curse, but you do have to admit that he did have patience. If the sequels to the original movies were includedor even the live actions, then Cinderella 3: A Twist In Time would certainly have Prince Charming ranking much higher.
Going out the window after you’ve been forbidden to go another step downstairs? Absolutely iconic. Unfortunately, when you only take the first movie into account, he doesn’t have much ground to stand on outside extreme patience.
10Mor’du, Brave
In some ways, Mor’du is a tragic figure, an object lesson in what happens when you let greed and ambition overtake your love for your kin. One of four princes of an ancient kingdom and the next one in line, his father’s last wish before passing was to divide the kingdom between them.
In his self-righteousness, he warred with his brothers for the throne, to the point of becoming a beast to perform an act of perfidy and multiple-kinslaying. By the time he shows up in the movie proper, all that’s left is a hideously strong and still very angry bear, an outward reflection of his inner character.
9Prince Phillip, Sleeping Beauty
Not only did Prince Phillip fall in love with Aurora when he thought she was a peasant, but he went to extreme lengths to save her, conqueringthe dragon Maleficentin the process. Sure, he might not have spent years getting to know her, but for a royal to risk their kingdom’s unity for a peasant? It’s a bit baffling but a compelling narrative.
Even after learning that Briar Rose was, in fact, the Princess Aurora, it didn’t change his mind and he still wanted to go and save her –though it likely helped to sweeten the deal.
8Hans, Frozen
Hans is, in a word, perfect. Handsome, quick-witted, chivalrous– a perfect Prince in almost every way. This is what makes him so insidious. Behind the perfect smile, and toned physique lies the heart of a schemer, so perfectly hidden that we don’t even find out until the last third of the film in one of the biggest twists ever in a Disney film.
Though Hans is a prince, he is so far down the line that he isn’t really a contender for the throne, something he knows keenly. He won’t let that stop him, however, not when charming his way into Anna’s good graces and a little regicide would give him a crown. He almost succeeds too, were it not for some timely intervention and Anna’s love for her sister.
7Prince Eric, The Little Mermaid
Sure, Prince Eric might have a dubious position here, but the truth is that he’s a very accepting prince. He didn’t judge Ariel for any of her odd behaviors and welcomed her into his home. Although he didn’t think she was his savior due to her muteness, he was still more than willing to spend time with her, show her around the kingdom, and get to know her, which eventually led to him falling in love.
You might judge him for immediately falling for Ursula in her disguise but hey, not everybody can be immune to magic. Afterward he put himself into an extreme amount of danger to save Ariel, so kudos to him.
6The Beast/Prince Adam, Beauty And The Beast
Beast’s character arc in Beauty and the Beast is an absolutely amazing one and you may see the genuine shift from someone who is angry and bitter and still clinging onto the past to someone who wants to move on and love. More than most Disney princes, Beast has some genuine development as a character, and it adds so much to the film.
He isn’t painted as a perfect prince charming but as someone who needs to grow and learn, and he does that alongside Belle. Sure, he doesn’t necessarily put himself in mortal danger for her, but he still fights for her. Who needs a dragon when you aren’t a cardboard cutout of a prince anyway?
5Aladdin, Aladdin
Aladdin goes from street rat to savior of Agrabah and the royal family, all thanks to the genie… Well, kind of. Without his cleverness and persistence, Aladdin likely wouldn’t have made it anywhere without his own wit and skill set to back him up.
Plus, he doesn’t necessarily stay as a street rat, and over the course of the movie develops into someone who is more genuine and true with themselves and the world around them. Learning to trust and be honest is hard, and Aladdin learned how to do this while saving Jasmine and his home from the clutches of Jafar.
