Believe it or not, Cinderella. Though there are only a few concrete qualifications to earn the label, technicalities keep them at bay. Here are the reasons why Elsa and Anna fall short of Disney Princess status.
First and foremost, understanding the criteria for a Disney Princess is important. Twenty years after it became a brand, the House of Mouse still has yet to come out with a set of guidelines. Instead, there are some common traits the official princesses share. The individual must be a human of regal lineage, either by birth or marriage. They cannot debut in a sequel and must be a main character from the start. On-screen they should sing at least one song and be able to communicate with animals (and/or have an animal companion). Business-wise, it helps if their movie is a hit and they generate massive popularity. Anna and Elsa fit most of these standards, but they're not officially Disney Princesses (via Disney). So why don't they get the green light?
First, Elsa and Anna are both queens by the conclusion of The Little Mermaid's Sebastian.
Much bigger than the character-driven details is the message behind Frozen itself. Past Princess movies were predominantly romance-driven, a hallmark of Disney's traditional stories. The concepts of true love and finding Prince Charming smothered the rest of the narrative. Anna and Elsa's story isn't about finding their spouses, but rather about finding each other. Their bond as sisters drives them, convincingly moving the film forward. Neither character is trying to go to extravagant balls or seems interested in wearing fancy dresses. Their sisterhood is enough for them, overshadowing their will to be monarchs in the first place. Both regal women have what it takes to be Disney Princesses. They fit the framework, but they don't need it.
Elsa and Anna have proven to be so much more than generic, love-seeking royals. They are strong, confident sisters with different motives than their predecessors. Young girls can look up to them and feel inspired by Elsa's independence or Anna's comion. This is not a knock against the original Disney Princesses by any means. Most date back hundreds of years, and are a product of their time. They have achieved an immortal status in modern culture. At the same time, Disney Princesses are a thing of the past. Much like Moana has, Frozen's Anna and Elsa redefined what it means to be a Disney Princess, even if they don't officially have the title.
