The Disney princesses decorate little girls’ bedrooms and wardrobes. How does the life of a real princess compare to those of the storybooks and films? What are the similarities and differences, and are the fairy tales and stories of princesses related to the historical realities of life as a daughter of the king or wife of prince charming? History has left us with stories of many a famous princess, but these often do not compare to the fairy tale versions.

The Princess Royal

The traditional fairy tale princess typically lives in a land far, far, away, in a castle with dragons, princes, and furniture that talks. Is there a historical basis in a real princess for the fictional fairy tale princess? While traditional fairy tale princesses have no basis in any real princess, stories of one famous princess and another have influenced them. Beauty, grace, and strength of character are common traits of both admired real princesses and fictional ones. While the real princess did live in a castle, and was often shut away to preserve her purity for marriage, her rescuer was more likely the older nobleman she was married off to than a handsome prince.

Pocahontas

One of the fairy tale princesses of the modern age is Pocahontas. Disney told us a tale of a valiant young woman and a noble explorer in the 1995 release of Pocahontas. In the Disney version of the tale, Pocahontas saves John Smith from death at the hands of her father and aids him. For a general introduction to the Disney version of the story, review HYPERLINK "http://disney.go.com/vault/archives/movies/pocahontas/pocahontas.html" http://disney.go.com/vault/archives/movies/pocahontas/pocahontas.html. History tells a much different tale about a child instead of a young woman, and casts serious doubts on John Smith’s story of rescue. Pocahontas herself, whose name was Matoaka, came to a sad and tragic end that the movie fails to share. Taken prisoner by the English at 17, she was held at Jamestown until a widower took an interest in marrying her and she was released on the condition that she marry him. She bore him a child and died at 21. For more information on Pocahontas and the Powhatan tribe, review HYPERLINK "http://www.powhatan.org/pocc.html" http://www.powhatan.org/pocc.html. While she was not the last princess, real or fictional of the Native Americans, the story, as it has been told, is not hers.

Anastasia

Another modern day fairy tale concerns the last princess, real and royal, of Russia. Young Anastasia Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess of Russia, was the daughter of Tsar Nicholas II. On July 17th, 1918 the Bolshevik police murdered the Tsar and his family. Rumors began immediately about the survival of the then seventeen year old Grand Duchess. In 1997, Fox produced an animated film about the young Grand Duchess and her survival. Like all great fairy tales, in this film, the Grand Duchess finds her remaining family and lives happily ever after. HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Duchess_Anastasia_Nikolaevna_of_Russia" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Duchess_Anastasia_Nikolaevna_of_Russia offers a thorough introduction to the young famous princess, both her life and her death.

Stepping up from the Ashes

The real life Cinderella story of the girl brought up from a normal or even lower class life to become a princess is both a fairy tale and the life of more than one real princess. While this was an unlikely reality back in that long-long ago time, the climate of the twentieth century changed that and let the girl next door grow up to be a famous princess. Princess Grace of Monaco grew up in a well-off family in Philadelphia as Grace Kelly and became a well-known Hollywood actress. In 1956, Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier the III, Prince of Monaco, and became Princess Grace. Although she is no longer living, she remains today a statement of grace and a famous princess of her age. More information about this famous princess may be found at HYPERLINK "http://www.answers.com/topic/grace-kelly" http://www.answers.com/topic/grace-kelly.

The next great fairy tale famous princess tale of our age is that of Princess Diana of Wales. Diana Spencer was teaching young children when she met Charles, the Prince of Wales, and her fairy tale began. Diana met the requirements for a princess. She was young, pretty, and shy, but took on her tasks with grace and dignity. Sadly, Princess Diana’s tale did not end happily at all. To learn more about Diana, Princess of Wales, consider looking at the BBC biography at HYPERLINK "http://www.bbcamerica.com/britain/princess_diana/princess_diana_biography.jsp" http://www.bbcamerica.com/britain/princess_diana/princess_diana_biography.jsp.

Fantasy and Reality

The princesses of today are not so much like their forebears as they are like any other independent, strong woman of today. Their lives are not fairy tales, nor are they any more apt to find their happily ever after than any other woman. Some fairy tale princess stories do have a historical basis, but it is primarily modern fairy tales that are derived from the stories of one real princess or another. Our world has not yet seen its last princess, real or not.