- “A wondrous future lies before you. You, the destined hero of a charming fairy tale come true.”
- ―Maleficent to Phillip[src]
Prince Phillip is the deuteragonist of Disney's 1959 animated feature film Sleeping Beauty. He is King Hubert's dashing and wisecracking son, who was betrothed to Princess Aurora, the daughter of his father's old friend, King Stefan, as a means of uniting their kingdoms. The alliance becomes endangered when Phillip falls in love with a "peasant girl" whom he meets in the forest, unaware that she is actually Aurora, but upon discovering that they are one and the same person, he willingly risks everything he can to save her, their respective parents, and the rest of the kingdom from the evil fairy Maleficent.
Phillip is based on the prince from the 1697 fairy tale La Belle au bois dormant by Charles Perrault.
Quick Answers
Who does Prince Phillip fall in love with in Disney's Sleeping Beauty?
What is the relationship between Prince Phillip and Princess Aurora?
Why was Prince Phillip betrothed to Princess Aurora?
How does Prince Phillip discover the true identity of the 'peasant girl' he falls in love with?
What risks does Prince Phillip take for his love in Sleeping Beauty?
Background[]
Development[]
Phillip was the first Disney prince to be given a proper name, a developed character and have an active role. He is said to have been named after the prince that Americans knew of best at the time, Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elizabeth II. The idea of him being captured by Maleficent was a discarded idea originally meant for the Prince from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, as the animators at that time had problems drawing a realistic human male.
Personality[]
Prince Phillip is known to be brave and heroic. On the other hand, he appears to be fairly easygoing. At times, he is able to subtly persuade people to do as he wants. Examples include Phillip bribing his horse Samson with food so that he could find the source of the singing he heard, and manipulating his father, King Hubert, into agreeing that he should marry the girl he loves rather than the princess to whom he is betrothed, though neither of them know that the girl he met is the same betrothed until later when he saves his father, Aurora, her parents, and the rest of the kingdom residents from their indefinite sleeping spell. His heroism includes escaping Maleficent's castle to save the whole realm from an endless sleeping curse, fighting off Maleficent's goons and spells, as well as fighting Maleficent herself with his sword and shield. Though terrified, wearing a fearful expression after Maleficent transforms into a large menacing dragon, Phillip bravely rides Samson to charge toward the beast. Despite being knocked off his horse, Phillip fights the dragon's fire and snapping jaws as he backs away through thorns, up a hill, using his sword to achieve victory.
Physical appearance[]
Phillip has a slim, but fairly built physique, fair skin, brown eyes, and brown hair, which was blond when he was younger. He is several years older than Aurora, as he was a pre-adolescent while she was still an infant.
Phillip is generally seen wearing a sleeveless grayish-tan tunic over a black turtleneck shirt, dark brown pants, and black boots. He also is seen wearing a red cape and bycocket hat at times, with a ruby red feather on the left of the hat. Phillip also carries a dagger sheathed at his left hip, but never uses it during the events of the film. His light brown socks beneath his boots are similar to the short boots worn by commoners. As a child, Phillip wore a grey tunic, a light grey turtle neck shirt, light grey socks, navy blue shoes, a cyan hat with a flame red feather, and a blue waist length children's cloak with a yellow triangular clip, and had amber hair.
He later gains a sword and a blue long shield, or kite shield, with a white cross design given by Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather as his melee weapons to defeat Maleficent.
In the end of the film where he had a waltz with Princess Aurora and in later merchandise, Phillip wears a formal version of his first outfit; a black high-neck tunic with a red short puffy sleeves and a gray turtleneck underneath, dark blue pants and black boots. He also retains the red cape from his first outfit.
Appearances[]
Sleeping Beauty[]
Prince Phillip first appears as a child, when he and his father, King Hubert, are invited to the christening of Princess Aurora, the newborn daughter of Hubert's lifelong friends, King Stefan and Queen Leah. Wanting to unite their respective kingdoms, Hubert and Stefan decide that Phillip would marry Aurora when they both grow up, and the children are betrothed. Phillip presents a gift to the infant princess, but is rather unimpressed with his future bride when he sees her. Later during the christening, Phillip witnesses the arrival of the evil fairy Maleficent, who curses Aurora to die from pricking her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel before the sun sets on the princess' sixteenth birthday. Although Merryweather, one of the Three Good Fairies, softens the curse, they make a deal with Stefan and Leah to take Aurora to a secluded cottage in the forest to raise her in safety until the curse expires.
Phillip as a young adult meeting Aurora under her peasant alias, Briar Rose.
Sixteen years later, a now grown-up Phillip is riding in the forest when he hears a young girl's voice singing, and orders his horse Samson to take him there, but on the way, Samson goes too fast and accidentally knocks Phillip into the water. After falling into the water, Phillip hangs his wet cape, hat, and boots on tree limbs to dry, and wonders about the girl's voice, which sounds familiar, but then he turns around and notices that some forest animals have taken his clothes. When he follows the forest animals, he finds the girl who is singing (Briar Rose, alter ego of Princess Aurora), and he starts dancing with her. She tries to run away, but he continues to dance with her, and says that they have met before in "Once Upon a Dream". By the end of "Once Upon a Dream", they have fallen in love, and Phillip asks the girl what her name is, but she realizes that she must go home, so she runs off. Still not knowing who the girl is, Phillip asks when he will see her again, to which she tells him to meet her at the cottage this evening, and gives him directions to the cottage as she leaves. Phillip is entirely unaware that the girl with whom he has fallen in love is actually his betrothed, Aurora, so he assumes her to be a peasant girl. Later, when speaking to his father, Phillip tells him that he has fallen in love with a peasant girl, upsetting Hubert, due to the betrothal. However, Phillip manipulates him into agreeing that he should marry the girl he loves. Like Aurora and Leah, he doesn't speak again for the rest of the film.
Phillip locked up in a dungeon at Maleficent's castle.
That evening, Phillip goes to the cottage as promised by the girl he has met earlier, but he unknowingly walks into a trap set by Maleficent as her Goons wrangle him about, tie him up, and gag him with a white handkerchief upon entry after his hat falls onto the floor. Maleficent and the Goons take Phillip away to her domain, the Forbidden Mountain, where she imprisons him in the dungeon. After learning from Hubert that the girl Phillip has fallen in love with is Briar Rose, the Good Fairies fly to the cottage to fetch him in order to save the whole kingdom from their sleeping curse they have put on. But when the fairies arrive too late and discover his hat in the wreckage, they realize that Phillip was captured by Maleficent and her goons. The fairies decide to go to the Forbidden Mountain to rescue him, despite the terror that the eerie place invokes.
While chained to the dungeon walls at the Forbidden Mountain, Phillip is visited by Maleficent, who taunts him with the knowledge that Briar Rose, the girl he has met in the woods, is actually Princess Aurora and revealing that she has fallen under a curse of ageless sleep that can be broken by love's first kiss. Maleficent plans to keep Phillip locked up for 100 years and then release him. He will be an old man, if not dead, while Aurora will still be a 16-year-old girl. Phillip is angered and struggles against his chains, but Maleficent chooses to leave him with the "happy" thoughts. After Maleficent walks away and returns to her tower, the good fairies fly into the dungeon to release Phillip and melt the locks on his chains and prison door. They arm him with the mighty Sword of Truth and Shield of Virtue, which they state to be weapons of righteousness that will triumph over evil.
A heroic Phillip and Samson in battle with Maleficent.
As the fairies and Phillip leave the dungeon, they are confronted by Maleficent's pet raven, Diablo, who summons the Goons to recapture the prince. The fairies thwart the Goons' attacks on Phillip with their magic as he and the fairies make their way out of the Forbidden Mountain, riding on Samson. On their way to Stefan's castle, Maleficent, who has been awakened by the constant cawing of Diablo (who is turned into a statue by Merryweather) and realized that Phillip has escaped from the dungeon, unleashes some lightning to stop Phillip, but to no avail. Maleficent then causes a maze of thorns to grow around the castle and block his way. Phillip bravely hacks through the thorns using his sword and manages to get through. In another attempt to kill the prince, an enraged Maleficent appears before him and blocks his entry to Stefan's castle.
Phillip wears a fearful expression as Maleficent transforms herself into an enormous fire-breathing dragon. Thoughterrified, Phillip engages the menacing dragon in battle, being knocked off his horse by a flame blast, forced to scramble behind a thicket of vines, and retreat up a cliff with the beast in pursuit. Escaping the powerful flames, Philip is being driven backward, swinging his sword while the dragon snaps her jaws at the prince. As Phillip is cornered at the cliff's ledge, Maleficent blasts his shield off, rendering him defenseless. But as Maleficent burst out laughing, the enraged good fairies magically empowers the sword, under the directions of Flora. Phillip immediately throws the sword into the dragon's chest, but he's forced to dodge Maleficent's final attempt to devour him as she collapses onto the ledge. Phillip narrowly escapes for his life as the dragon's enormous weight cause the ledge to crumble upon impact, sending the evil witch falling to her demise below.
Phillip and Aurora living happily ever after.
Afterwards, Phillip enters Stefan's castle to find the entire population asleep, due to the sleeping spell the fairies has cast upon. He heads up the stairs to the castle's tallest tower, where he finds Aurora, still in her ageless sleep. He bends over to give Aurora true love's first kiss, which finally awakens her from her eternal slumber. The princess smiles as she learns that her love and her betrothed are one and the same. By greater extent, this allows the entire people in the castle to wake up from their sleeping spell, including King Hubert, King Stefan, Queen Leah, Minstrel, and the Herald.
Once he saves Aurora, their family, and the whole kingdom from their sleeping spell, Phillip heads downstairs with Aurora, arm in arm, and reunite with their family, now awakened from their sleep. The two then share a dance together and share another kiss, with the final words in the book, below the illustration of the couple kissing, reading "And they lived happily ever after."
House of Mouse[]
Phillip is one of the many Disney characters who appear as a guest in the TV series House of Mouse.
In the episode "House of Genius", he is seen in the lobby with Princess Aurora, waiting to be welcomed by Donald, who was sleeping on his job.
In the episode "Donald and the Aracuan Bird", he is one of the many guests who accidentally get tranquilized during Donald's futile attempts at tranquilizing the crazy Aracuan Bird, much to the dismay of Aurora (who ironically didn't get tranquilized by Donald).
Phillip was also seen alongside Aurora during the finale song in Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse.
Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams[]
Phillip with Aurora in Follow Your Dreams.
In Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams, Phillip is one of the characters from Sleeping Beauty to make an appearance. At the beginning of the "Keys to the Kingdom" segment, Phillip is set to leave the kingdom along with his father and Aurora's parents for two days for a Royal Conference, leaving Aurora to reign over it in their absence, with a little advice from Lord Duke. Before departing, Phillip encourages Aurora to do a good job while in charge of the kingdom and tells her to look at the brightest star at night, as he will be doing the same.
Phillip makes another appearance when he, Stefan, Hubert, Leah, and Samson are coming back to a Royal Conference until Duke warns them about the magic incident in the throne room; giant chickens, green pigs, and cows. When they all get inside the castle, they saw no animals, thanks to Aurora solving her problems without magic. He then asked Aurora of how well everything in the kingdom handled accordingly. She told him and their family about perseverance.
Phillip is seen at the end of the first segment and he is part of the celebration for Aurora's duty, along with King Hubert, King Stefan, Queen Leah, Lord Duke, Flora, Merryweather, and Fauna.
Other appearances[]
In Once Upon a Studio, Phillip and Aurora watch Belle and Beast begin to sing "When You Wish Upon a Star". They then join all of the characters in a group photo to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Video games[]
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep[]
Prince Phillip appears as an ally in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, in the Enchanted Dominion. He becomes an ally to Aqua when she visits Enchanted Dominion.
Phillip's role in the game starts out much like his role in the original film. Phillip has had a dream of his betrothed Princess Aurora since before their encounter in the forest, although he was unaware of her identity at that time. Aurora readies to flee home, but Phillip asks to see her again, and she tells him to meet her at her cottage. That night, he visits the cottage and falls right into Maleficent's trap after the princess' curse came true.
Sometime later, Aqua, a Keyblade master, becomes a captive as well. The three fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather descend to rescue the prince and the Keyblade master after Ventus released Aurora's lost stolen heart from Maleficent's clutches. Together, they transcend to King Stefan's castle to awaken the princess from the spell. However, Maleficent appears before them, and engages them in battle, in the form of a monstrous dragon. Aqua and Prince Phillip come together to fight the witch, but when Aqua gets blocked by a wall of flames, Phillip is forced to face her alone. The fairies enchant his sword, allowing him to defeat Maleficent. With Maleficent's magic weakened, Prince Phillip makes his way to the princess and breaks the spell with true love's kiss.
During the ending credits of Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, the prince is seen dancing with Aurora in the audience chamber of the castle. Disapproved by their respective colors, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather continuously change the colors on Aurora's dress with magic.
Disney Heroes: Battle Mode[]
Prince Phillip appears as a playable and is unlockable from Gold and Diamond Crates, he possesses the same abilities as in the original film, defending himself with a shield and attacking enemies with his sword, his White Skill also allows to enhance his shield and sword to gain extra buffs.
Phillip's friendship campaigns are with Philoctetes and Aurora.
Printed media[]
Kingdom Keepers[]
Helping the Keepers because believing that the Keepers were mounting an attack on the Dark Ones (Overtakers), he led the carousel knights into battle. However, the earthquake caused by Tia Dalma forced a retreat.
Prince of Thorns & Nightmares[]
Prince Phillip is the main character in this story.
Disney Parks[]
Phillip in the Festival of Fantasy parade.
At the Disney theme parks, Phillip appears as a rare meet-and-greet character. He is usually seen with Aurora in events. For meet and greets, Phillip is sometimes found at the Disneyland Resort in California and mostly in Disneyland Paris.
Phillip makes a cameo appearance in World of Color during the "So Close" sequence. Phillip is also seen in the Jubilation! parade and the show One Man's Dream II: The Magic Lives On!, and also a brief scene with him and Aurora dancing on a cloud in Disney Dreams!
Phillip has his own spell card known as "Phillip's Enchanted Sword" in the attraction Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.
He also appears in a new outfit for the Magic Kingdom's Festival of Fantasy Parade, fighting Maleficent in her Dragon form and her goons.
Fantasmic![]
In Disney's Hollywood Studios' version, Phillip is seen in the water projector during the Princess Melody. At the end of all versions of the show, Phillip can be spotted with Aurora.
Dream Along With Mickey[]
Phillip was an attendant of the castle party as one of Mickey Mouse's special guests and enjoys a waltz with Aurora and other Disney couples. Phillip later appeared at the end, taking part in the finale.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Prince Edward's animated form in Enchanted is based on Prince Phillip's design.
- Robert Philip, Giselle's main love interest, is also based on Prince Philip with sharing the same name and Robert performs a true love's kiss on Giselle, just like Prince Philip did with Aurora.
- Phillip is the first Disney Prince to be given a proper name.
- He was named after Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh and husband of the late Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, since he was one of the few real princes familiar to the animators.
- Unlike the first two princes from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Cinderella, Phillip is a more proactive character and has more speaking lines. In fact, he is the first Disney Prince to be an active character.
- Phillip is also the first Prince who takes an active role in defeating the main villain when he kills Maleficent, who assumes the form of a giant dragon, and is responsible for saving Aurora, her parents, King Hubert and everyone else in the kingdom from their eternal slumber. In Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the Evil Queen falls off a cliff to her death after being chased and trapped there by the dwarfs and in Cinderella, Lady Tremaine is left with her daughters at the château after Cinderella reveals the matching glass slipper to the Grand Duke and marries her prince. Like the first Prince, however, Phillip awakens his love interest from her sleeping curse by giving her a true love's kiss.
- Like Aurora and Leah, he is also mute for the second half of the film. Despite this, he still has a proactive role, more lines, and screen time than the previous two Princes. However, Aurora has less dialogue and screen time than the previous two Princesses.
- In the original French story (not by Disney), the prince was from another family from the sleeping princess after the 100 years and that his mother was from a race of ogres and had been married by the prince's father for her wealth.
- In the original Disney Princess: Follow Your Dreams, Aurora was going to celebrate Phillip's birthday. In this same movie, it was going to be revealed that his birthday is on August 18.
- It is unknown how many years older Phillip is than Aurora, but he seemed about 4-8 at the beginning.
- Prince Phillip (via the film Sleeping Beauty) is listed as an example of an ideal Paladin upon which to base one's character according to The Complete Paladin's Handbook, an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (2nd Edition) supplement. He was perhaps the only character in a Disney film to receive this honor until Joan of Arc was referenced in Frozen.
- The young Prince Phillip has blond hair, but the adult Phillip has brown hair. However, it is known that many Caucasian children are born with blonde hair, which changes color as they mature.
- He was the first Prince to kill the villain followed by Eric when he killed Ursula.
- Prince Phillip is the first Disney Prince to get captured by the villain.
See also[]
External links[]
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