Disney’s branch of Princesses has some unofficial but well-known rules and traditions, and there’s one underrated classic that broke some of those traditions and set an example for others. For decades, Disney has produced a wide variety of live-action and animated movies, but it continues to be more popular for the latter, particularly its Princess movies. These have received their own branch within Disney, though not all main female characters in Disney’s animated movies are included in it as some specific requirements must be met.

Although these aren’t official requirements, most characters on the list of official Disney Princesses meet them, such as having at least one musical number, an animal sidekick, and being born royal, married royal, or committing a heroic act (as is the case for Mulan, for example). Leading the official Disney Princesses is Snow White, and at the time of writing, there are 13, with the most recent addition being Raya from Raya and the Last Dragon. However, a Princess who debuted in 2009 broke some big Disney Princess traditions, and others followed her example shortly after.

The Princess & The Frog’s Tiana Is The Only Disney Princess With A Job

Tiana’s Only Goal Was Opening Her Own Restaurant

In 2009, Disney released The Princess and the Frog, directed by John Musker and Ron Clements. Based on the German folk tale “The Frog Prince”, collected by the Brothers Grimm, and the 2002 novel The Frog Princess, by E. D. Baker, The Princess and the Frog takes the audience to New Orleans during the 1920s. The Princess and the Frog follows Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), a young waitress and aspiring chef who dreams of having her own restaurant, through which she wants to carry on her father’s legacy, who also dreamed of having his own restaurant.

John Musker and Ron Clements also directed The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Moana, all of them part of the official Disney Princess list.

Meanwhile, Naveen (Bruno Campos), the arrogant young prince of Maldonia, arrives in New Orleans with the intention of marrying Charlotte La Bouff (Jennifer Cody), Tiana’s wealthy best friend, as his parents have cut him off. However, Naveen is transformed into a frog by voodoo witch doctor Facilier (Keith David), but when he sees Tiana in a princess dress and asks her to kiss him to break the spell, she transforms into a frog, too. Together, they set out to find a way to break the spells, and, of course, they fall in love with each other in the process.

Tiana isn’t looking for romance, nor is romantic love the driving force of her story, and her goal is to open her own restaurant.

The Princess and the Frog was a critical success, currently holding an 85% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, and though it performed well at the box office, it wasn’t as big of a success as other Disney Princess movies. The Princess and the Frog has become one of the most unfairly underrated Disney animated movies, and it deserves more praise for different reasons, but within the branch of Disney Princesses, it stands out for breaking some key traditions. First off, Tiana isn’t looking for romance, nor is romantic love the driving force of her story, and her goal is to open her own restaurant.

Even during her journey to find a solution to the spell, Tiana doesn’t forget her goal, and even after marrying Naveen, she carries on with it and finally opens her restaurant with Naveen’s . Thanks to this, Tiana is also the only Disney Princess who has a job, before and after she becomes royal.

The Princess & The Frog’s Prince Naveen Also Marked A Disney Prince First

Prince Naveen & His Family Were A Disney First

The Princess and the Frog also marked a first in the history of Disney Princes. Unlike Disney Princesses, there isn’t an official list of Disney Princes, so it’s understood that those who accompany the official Princesses would be the official Princes. Prince Naveen, then, is the first prince to have both his parents still alive. The King and Queen of Maldonia can be seen at the end of The Princess and the Frog, having dinner at Tiana’s Palace. It’s worth noting, however, that the backstories of some characters, like Snow White’s Prince, are unknown.

How The Princess & The Frog Influenced Other Disney Princesses

Other Princesses Followed The Example Of Tiana

The Princess and the Frog is one of the most underrated Disney animated movies, but it had an impact on subsequent Princess movies. The stories of Brave’s Merida, Moana, and Raya don’t revolve around romantic love or finding a romantic partner, and instead, they are family and legacy stories. None of these characters have a love interest, so their stories focus more on their personal growth and development. The Princess and the Frog deserves more recognition and praise, and it’s one of the best Disney animated movies of the 2010s.