Which Disney princess is the protagonist of the 1959 film “Sleeping Beauty”? Aurora is the film’s central princess.
Born to King Stefan and Queen Leah, Aurora is cursed by the evil fairy Maleficent after the royal family fails to invite her to a celebration. Maleficent declares that Aurora will prick her finger on a spinning wheel spindle and die, but the good fairies soften the curse so she will instead fall into an enchanted sleep.
To protect her, the fairies raise her in the forest under the name Briar Rose. Aurora eventually returns to the castle, where Maleficent’s curse comes true. Prince Phillip defeats Maleficent and awakens Aurora with true love’s kiss, leading to the film’s happy ending.
A common mix-up is treating “Briar Rose” as a separate princess. It is Aurora’s forest identity, while Aurora is her royal name. The film was Disney’s adaptation of the long-established Sleeping Beauty fairy tale.