Snow White was the first character in the official Disney Princess character grouping.
Snow White comes from Disney’s 1937 animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the company’s first full-length animated feature. When Disney later organized its leading heroines into the Disney Princess consumer-products franchise, Snow White was included as the earliest film character in the group.
The Disney Princess brand brought together characters from different animated films under one merchandising identity. Products have included dolls, clothing, books, role-play items, accessories, and home goods. The grouping is a commercial franchise rather than a list of every royal or female Disney character.
Cinderella, Belle, and Ariel are also major Disney Princess characters, but each first appeared in a later film: Cinderella in 1950, Ariel in 1989, and Belle in 1991. Snow White’s 1937 film therefore gives her the earliest place in the franchise’s film chronology.