From Snow White to Raya, Disney Princesses have enchanted audiences for more than 80 years. While the studio has diversified its lineup in terms of background, appearance, and personality in recent times, every Disney Princess at her core values the same qualities: kindness, loyaty, passion, and determination.
Despite this, no two Disney Princesses are completely alike. Their worlds may never overlap in Disney canon (with the meta exception of Ralph Breaks The Internet), but it's easy to imagine which Disney Princesses would bond as friends better than others.
Best Friends — Cinderella And Rapunzel
Cinderella (Cinderella) and Rapunzel (Tangled) have surprisingly similar backgrounds. Both spend their days cleaning, cooking, and caring for the homes in which they're trapped by mother figures taking advantage of their kindness, and both long to escape their situations to find a better life.
But it's not just having two of the most tragic upbringings of any Disney Princesses that would bond them. Despite all the adversity they face in their lives, Cinderella and Rapunzel are persistently optimistic. Each has a talent for forging bonds in unlikely places, whether that's with the mice infesting their home or ruffians in a local tavern, so would definitely find a bond in the other.
Not Friends — Ariel And Tiana
In some ways, Ariel (The Little Mermaid) and Tiana (The Princess and the Frog) are a lot alike. They're confident, headstrong, and totally focused on their goals. They could even make conversation about undergoing magical, physical transformations into totally different species.
However, that's not enough to make up for their fundamental differences. Ariel is well-meaning but naive, trusting a sea witch to achieve her dream. Tiana, conversely, knows to give the Shadow Man a wide berth. Her intelligence and work ethic couldn't be further from Ariel's life. The two wouldn't be enemies, but it's tough to imagine them as besties.
Best Friends — Moana And Ariel
Yes, the ocean is key to both Moana's (Moana) and Ariel's journeys, but that's not why they'd be friends. Moana and Ariel are both young, bubbly, independent, and, most importantly, share dreams to venture beyond the safety of their homes.
Even though Moana wants to explore the ocean while Ariel wants to leave it, it's easy to imagine the pair embarking on adventures together. These probably wouldn't be the most thought-out adventures. Each jumps into her respective plan without much thought. However, they'd probably be too busy talking each other's ears off to care.
Not Friends — Merida And Cinderella
Merida is different from the other Disney Princesses not just because she's technically a Pixar Princess. The Scottish heiress to the Kingdom of DunBroch also made history as the first Princess in the company's history to not have a love interest. Instead, she refuses to marry and hopes to forge her own path free of social expectations.
Merida's brash nature would probably clash with Cinderella. While the latter is independent and strong-willed, she also tends to daydream and is far less interested in adventure.
Best Friends — Tiana And Belle
It wouldn't take long for Tiana and Belle (Beauty and the Beast) to find common ground. Both are extremely intelligent and get lost in their own specific passions: Tiana loves to cook, and Belle loves reading. This tends to shut them off from the outside world at times, but they're equally happy spending time alone.
Neither Belle nor Tiana is inundated with friends in their respective movies (although who knows what fans will see in Tiana's new Disney+ show). Their dreams are snubbed by others in society. Men look down on Tiana for wanting her own restaurant, while if Gaston is anything to go by, Belle's village isn't too keen on women having ideas in general. They'd definitely complement each other well, even though Tiana is much more of a realist than Belle.
Not Friends — Raya And Aurora
More than 60 years separate the release of Raya's and Aurora's movies (Raya and the Last Dragon and Sleeping Beauty, respectively), so of course times have changed, including what it means to be a Disney Princess. Aurora faces real dangers in her life yet remains innocent and pure for the most part. Of all the things that didn't age well about Sleeping Beauty, the fact she doesn't even get to save herself during her own movie's climax might be one of the worst.
In Raya's dystopian world, she spends years fending for herself. She eventually learns to trust others again, but her guard is up for a long time after she's betrayed by Namaari. Even before this, she's headstrong, quirky, and extremely capable. There's no way she'd gel with someone as naive as Aurora.
Best Friends — Mulan And Merida
Mulan (Mulan) and Merida don't fit the stereotypical princess mold. Each struggles to match the expectations placed upon women in their respective societies. Mulan is deemed a disgrace for failing to prove she is fit as a future wife, while Merida refuses to be married off for the sake of her kingdom.
This bold and stubborn pair would get along like a house on fire. Even without their shared personality traits, their interests both include fighting and horseback riding. All either wants is for those close to them to be proud and accept who they are. They'd do that for each other without question.
Not Friends — Jasmine And Snow White
It's hard to imagine two Disney princesses more different than Jasmine (Aladdin) and Snow White (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). As the first to hit the scene back in 1937, Snow White fits a female cinematic mold reflective of her time. Jasmine was written in the 1990s, so she is far more independent, confident, and strong-willed, refusing to marry just because a law tells her to.
Considering how strongly she rebuffs the damsel in distress stereotype, it's unlikely that Jasmine would find a kindred spirit in Snow White. She'd definitely value Snow White's kindness and optimism though.
Best Friends — Anna And Rapunzel
Lists of Anna (Frozen) and Rapunzel's personality traits would look almost identical. They're brave, relatable, extroverted, and almost exhaustingly energetic. Each wants to believe the best in people and manages to keep her spirit intact even when she's rejected by her own sister or stepmother.
Growing up with minimal social interaction, Anna and Rapunzel also have no filter whatsoever. Disney fans can definitely imagine them becoming besties, Considering a Frozen Easter egg reveals Rapunzel even attended Elsa's coronation, perhaps they already are.
Not Friends – Elsa And Pocahontas
The ever-isolated former Queen of Arendelle isn't an easy woman to befriend. The majority of Elsa's youth and teenage years were ruled by fear, building a wall around her heart that even her sister struggled to climb.
Pocahontas (Pocahontas) is similarly reserved. Unlike Elsa, she does have multiple connections beyond just her family. For example, she has her close friend Nakoma, and even seems to get along well enough with Kocoum despite not wanting to marry him. Both characters are warm and friendly, but it'd be tough for these two equally reticent people to come out of their shells enough to become close friends.