Every little girl dreams of becoming a princess and during the Carnival celebrities most girls dress up as their favourite fairtytale princess. From the magical world of Walt Disney, little girls have plenty of role models to choose from… Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Belle or Cinderella… you are lost for choice…

Some of the most popular princesses include the ones mentioned in fairytales. Many people mistakenly believe that Walt Disney created these princesses, but in fact, they were mentioned in folklore for hundreds of years before Walt brought them to life on the screen.

Sleeping Beauty can be traced back to the year 1697, when Charles Perrault penned it, under the title, La Belle au Bois dormant. However it wasn't until the year 1959, when Walt Disney truly made Sleeping Beauty a character that little girls everywhere could identify with. When Walt Disney released Sleeping Beauty, he spent six million dollars, the most ever spent on a movie at that point. It was well worth the expense, however, as Sleeping Beauty continues to be one of the most cherished princesses of all time.

The Little Mermaid Hans Christian Anderson wrote The Little Mermaid in 1836. Starring, Ariel, The Little Mermaid has gone on to be one of the most beloved stories of love and romance. Ariel made her Disney debut in 1989 and has since secured her place as one of Disney's most popular princesses.

Cinderella may be one of the oldest fairytales ever recorded. In fact, the first known telling of Cinderella is from the first century BC. During the year 860 AD, a version of Cinderella circulated in China. It was known as Ye Xian and featured a maiden with tiny feet. The Brothers Grimm wrote their version, entitled Aschenputtel, and since then, Walt Disney created his hit classic, Cinderella.

Snow White is indeed one of Disney's most beloved and treasured princesses. However, Snow White was circulating in Europe during the 1800s. In Germany, she was called, Schneewittchenand the Brothers Grimm brought her to life through their tales and stories. However, it wasn't until Walt Disney released its movie that Snow White became an American household name.

Belle from Beauty and the Beast continues to be one of the most popular princesses of all time. This story, like Cinderella has been with us for a very long time. Some of the earliest tales date back to the second century AD. Charles Perrault wrote about the story in 1697, but it wasn't until Disney released the movie in 1991 that Belle officially joined the ranks as an official princess.