
Disney princes are often depicted as older than their princesses, and Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty is no exception. In the 1959 animated film, Prince Phillip is betrothed to Princess Aurora, but he falls in love with a peasant girl, unaware that she is actually Aurora. While the exact age of Prince Phillip is not explicitly stated, he appears to be several years older than Aurora, who is 16 years old. In the live-action Maleficent movies, the age gap between Phillip and Aurora is even more pronounced, with the actor playing Phillip being 23 when he portrayed the then 21-year-old prince. This trend of older Disney princes raises interesting questions about the power dynamics in these relationships and reflects the societal norms of the time in which the stories were created.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the film | Sleeping Beauty |
| Year of release | 1959 |
| Name of the character | Prince Phillip |
| Name of the actor | Bill Shirley |
| Age | 19-20 or 24 years old |
| Hair colour | Blond (young), brown (adult) |
| Father's name | King Hubert |
| Betrothed to | Princess Aurora, daughter of King Stefan and Queen Leah |
| Falls in love with | A forest-dwelling peasant girl, unaware that she is Princess Aurora |
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What You'll Learn

Prince Phillip's age is unknown, but he is estimated to be 19-20 or 24
The exact age of Prince Phillip from Disney's 1959 animated feature film Sleeping Beauty is unknown. However, it is estimated that he is either 19-20 years old or 24 years old.
Prince Phillip is the deuteragonist of the film and the first Disney prince to be given a proper name and a developed character. He is named after the prince that Americans knew best at the time, Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, and husband of Queen Elizabeth II.
In the film, Prince Phillip is betrothed to Princess Aurora, the daughter of King Stefan and Queen Leah, since their infancy. This arrangement is made to unite the kingdoms of Phillip's father, King Hubert, and Aurora's father, King Stefan, who are close friends. However, Phillip falls in love with a forest-dwelling peasant girl, unaware that she is Princess Aurora. Despite the arranged marriage, he risks everything to save Aurora, their family, and the kingdom from eternal sleep.
While Prince Phillip's exact age is not confirmed, some estimates place him at 19-20 years old, while others suggest he could be 24 years old. At the beginning of the film, he appears to be around 4-8 years old, but his exact age remains a mystery.
It is worth noting that the animators of the film faced challenges in drawing a realistic human male, and the idea of Prince Phillip being captured by Maleficent was originally intended for the prince in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Despite these creative decisions, Prince Phillip's bravery, courage, and willingness to confront evil directly have earned him a place in Disney history as a beloved and memorable character.
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Princess Aurora is 16 years old
Princess Aurora, also known as Sleeping Beauty or Briar Rose, is cursed to die before her sixteenth birthday by the evil fairy Maleficent. In the Brothers Grimm version of the story, the princess is destined to prick her finger at the age of fifteen, but Disney decided to age the character by one year. The curse is altered by three good fairies, who weaken it so that Aurora will only fall into a deep sleep. To protect her, they change her name to Briar Rose and hide her in a cottage in the forest, where she is raised by the fairies disguised as her mortal aunts. On her sixteenth birthday, the curse takes effect, and Aurora falls into a deep sleep that can only be broken by true love's kiss.
In the 1959 Disney film, Princess Aurora is voiced by American singer Mary Costa, who was 22 years old at the time. The character of Aurora has been criticised by some as being one of Disney's least intelligent princesses. However, she has also been recognised for her beauty and fashion sense, with her hair ranked as the second best of all the Disney Princesses by Entertainment Weekly.
Aurora was betrothed to Prince Phillip as an infant, but he falls in love with her while she is living in disguise as a peasant girl. Unaware that she is the princess, he risks everything to save her, their family, and the kingdom from eternal sleep. He escapes Maleficent's castle, combats her minions and magic, and confronts Maleficent directly. Ultimately, he breaks the spell with a true love's kiss, and the couple marry, uniting their kingdoms as their parents had intended.
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Prince Phillip is the first Disney prince with a proper name
Prince Phillip, the deuteragonist of Disney's 1959 animated feature film Sleeping Beauty, is the first Disney prince with a proper name. He was named after the late Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elizabeth II, who was the prince Americans knew best at the time. The character was designed by Disney Legend Milt Kahl, one of Disney's Nine Old Men.
In the film, Prince Phillip is the son of King Hubert. He is betrothed to King Stefan's daughter, Princess Aurora, as a means of uniting their kingdoms. However, he falls in love with a "peasant girl" in the forest, unaware that she is actually Aurora. After discovering her true identity, he risks everything to save her, their family, and the kingdom's residents from eternal sleep. Phillip displays bravery by escaping Maleficent's castle, combating her minions and magic, and confronting Maleficent directly. He ultimately revives Aurora from her curse with a true love's kiss, and they marry, fulfilling the intention of their parents to unite the kingdoms.
Prince Phillip is listed as an example of an ideal Paladin in The Complete Paladin's Handbook, an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (2nd Edition) supplement. He is also the first prince to kill the villain, followed by Eric, who killed Ursula.
While Prince Phillip is the first Disney prince with a proper name, it is worth noting that not all Disney princes are actually princes. For example, John Smith from Pocahontas and Li Shang from Mulan are included on the list of Disney princes as the love interests of official Disney princesses, even though they are not princes themselves. Similarly, Aladdin is the only Disney prince to become a prince through marriage.
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The film was released in 1959
The film Sleeping Beauty, featuring the character of Prince Phillip, was released in 1959. The animated feature film was produced by Disney and is considered a classic. The character of Prince Phillip is the deuteragonist of the film. He is the first Disney prince to be given a proper name and a developed character. He is brave, heroic, and named after the Prince that Americans knew of best at the time, the Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elizabeth II.
In the film, Prince Phillip falls in love with a peasant girl, unaware that she is Princess Aurora, to whom he was betrothed as an infant. Despite the arranged marriage, he risks everything to save Aurora and the kingdom from perpetual sleep. His bravery includes escaping Maleficent's castle and confronting her directly. He ultimately revives Aurora from her curse with a true love's kiss.
The film's animation is a notable achievement, with its attention to detail, vibrant colours, and majestic backgrounds. The art style sets it apart from other Disney classics. The character of Prince Phillip was designed by Disney Legend Milt Kahl, who was responsible for other beloved characters such as Pinocchio and Peter Pan.
The release of Sleeping Beauty in 1959 marked a significant moment in Disney's history and contributed to its legacy of enchanting and delightful films that continue to captivate audiences for generations. The film's success and the character of Prince Phillip have left an enduring impact on the world of animation and popular culture.
While the film was released in 1959, it is worth noting that the character of Prince Phillip does not appear to have a specified age in the film. However, some sources speculate that he is around 19 to 20 years old, while others suggest he might be 24. In the film, he seems to be about 4-8 years old at the beginning.
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The prince was named after the Duke of Edinburgh
It is widely believed that the character of Prince Phillip in Disney's 1959 animated feature film Sleeping Beauty was named after the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II.
Prince Phillip was the first Disney prince to be given a proper name and a developed character. It is said that the name was inspired by the prince that Americans knew of best at the time, the Duke of Edinburgh. The character was designed by Disney Legend Milt Kahl, one of Disney's Nine Old Men.
While there has been no official confirmation from Disney, University of Edinburgh lecturer Sarah Dunnigan, who has studied fairy tale traditions, has said that the link is highly plausible due to the huge popularity and idealization of the British royal family in America in the late 1950s.
UCLA animation lecturer Charles Solomon, however, has called the theory an "urban myth". He has conducted extensive research on Sleeping Beauty and has never found any evidence to support the claims.
In the film, Prince Phillip is the son of King Hubert and is betrothed to Princess Aurora, the daughter of King Stefan, as a means of uniting their kingdoms. However, he falls in love with a "peasant girl" in the forest, unaware that she is actually Aurora. He ultimately revives Aurora from her curse with a true love's kiss and they marry, fulfilling the intention of their parents to unite the kingdoms.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unknown how old Prince Phillip is in Disney's Sleeping Beauty. However, it is estimated that he is several years older than Princess Aurora, appearing as a young child when she is an infant.
Prince Phillip is the deuteragonist of Disney's 1959 animated feature film Sleeping Beauty. He is the son of King Hubert and falls in love with Princess Aurora, risking everything to save her and their kingdom from eternal sleep.
Prince Phillip is named after Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, as he was one of the few real princes familiar to the animators at the time.
Prince Phillip was originally voiced by Bill Shirley. He has also been voiced by Roger Craig Smith and Josh Robert Thompson.


















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