
Aurora, also known as Sleeping Beauty, was 16 years old in Disney's 1959 film. She is the third official Disney Princess and the last to be developed by Walt Disney. The original story of Sleeping Beauty is much darker, especially considering her age. In the Brothers Grimm version of the tale, titled Briar Rose, the princess is put to sleep by a 100-year curse, causing her to awaken at 116 years old.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the Princess | Aurora |
| Alias | Briar Rose |
| Age | 16 years old |
| Year of the movie release | 1959 |
| Name of the actor who played Aurora | Elle Fanning |
| Age of the actor who played Aurora | 16 years old |
| Age of Prince Phillip | 19-20 years old |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn

Aurora was 16 years old in Sleeping Beauty
Aurora, the main protagonist of Sleeping Beauty, was 16 years old. She is the third official Disney Princess in the franchise and the last princess to be developed by Walt Disney. Her story was originally much darker, especially considering her age.
Aurora was cursed by Maleficent to prick her finger and fall into a deep sleep on her sixteenth birthday. The curse was that she would touch a spinning wheel and fall asleep for 100 years. Despite the efforts of the three fairies who raised her, the curse came upon Aurora, but she was eventually awoken by a kiss from Prince Phillip.
Aurora is usually referred to as Sleeping Beauty rather than her actual name, which is only mentioned a few times in the film. She is the only princess who never talks with the villain of her film, and she has the least amount of screen time out of all the Disney Princesses.
Aurora's alias is Briar Rose, which is also the title of the Brothers Grimm version of the tale. The Brothers Grimm version is based on the 1636 story by Giambattista Basile called Sun, Moon, and Talia. The name Aurora is the name of Sleeping Beauty's daughter in the Charles Perrault version and is the name of the titular character in the Tchaikovsky ballet.
How Low Can Your Resting Heart Rate Go?
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Her birthday curse
Princess Aurora, or Sleeping Beauty as she is often known, was just 16 years old when she was cursed to sleep for 100 years on her birthday. The beautiful princess, with her graceful demeanor and thin frame, had spent her life sheltered from harm. Her family even sent her to live with fairies in the woods, but still, the curse of the evil Maleficent found her.
Aurora was to prick her finger on a spinning wheel and fall into a deep sleep, never to awaken unless true love's kiss could save her. The three fairies who had raised her tried to protect her, but on her sixteenth birthday, the curse was upon her. Aurora fell into a deep slumber, and with her, the entire kingdom was put under the influence of the sleeping curse.
The young princess had always been destined to face this challenge, as she and her betrothed, Prince Phillip, had been promised to each other since her birth. But the curse was not to be the end of Aurora's story. There was hope in the form of the handsome prince, who would fight to break the spell and awaken his true love.
Aurora's birthday was both a curse and a blessing. It marked the beginning of her entrapment, but also the start of her journey to break free and live happily ever after. Her sixteenth year was to be one of great change and adventure, and though she faced a formidable challenge, she emerged victorious with the help of her true love.
Aurora's story is a reminder that even the youngest of us can face tremendous obstacles, but with courage and the support of loved ones, we can overcome them and create our own happy endings.
Establishing a Sleep Schedule for Your 2-Month-Old Baby
You may want to see also
Explore related products

The original story was darker
The story of Sleeping Beauty, as depicted in Disney's 1959 animated film, is based on the fairy tale by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm. However, the original story of Sleeping Beauty is much darker than the Disney version, especially when considering the age of the protagonist, Princess Aurora.
In the Disney film, Aurora is 16 years old when she is cursed by Maleficent to fall into a deep sleep on her sixteenth birthday. In contrast, the original tale features a younger princess who meets a more gruesome fate. In the Brothers Grimm version, titled "Little Briar Rose," the princess is cursed to die at the age of 15 by pricking her finger on a spindle. This variant of the story ends with the arrival of the prince, who wakes Sleeping Beauty with a kiss.
The original tale by Giambattista Basile, titled "Sun, Moon, and Talia," is even more disturbing. In this version, the sleeping beauty, named Talia, falls into a deep sleep after getting a splinter of flax in her finger. She is discovered by a wandering prince, who takes her to his bed and "gathers the first fruits of love." He then abandons her, and she gives birth to twins while still unconscious. The story continues with the introduction of another woman from the prince's life, who is not fond of his new family and plots to kill the children.
The Grimms' version of the story, while less explicit than Basile's, still contains some dark themes and undertones. The princess is cursed by a slighted fairy who was left off the guest list at her birthday celebration. The curse predicts that the princess will die by pricking her finger on a spindle, a fate that she meets in her fifteenth year. The story ends with the arrival of the prince, who wakes the princess with a kiss.
In contrast to the passive heroines of the original tales, Disney's Aurora is sheltered from harm and spends most of the film reacting to the events around her. The Disney version softens the darker elements of the original story, portraying Aurora as innocent and naive, emphasizing the magical elements, and omitting the more mature themes.
The Toddler Sleep Surge: Why More Zzzs at 14 Months
You may want to see also
Explore related products

The actress who played her was also 16
In Disney's Sleeping Beauty, Princess Aurora is 16 years old when she is cursed to fall into a deep sleep on her sixteenth birthday. The character of Aurora was voiced by actress Mary Costa, who provided the crying sounds when Aurora arrives at the castle and is gifted her crown by the fairies. However, the crying sounds in the film are not actually Costa's voice but are instead a recycled stock sound effect of Dopey crying over Snow White's apparent death in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
In the live-action film Maleficent, which retells the story of Sleeping Beauty from the villain's perspective, Aurora is played by Elle Fanning, who was 16 years old at the time of the film's release. This casting choice captures the innocence of Aurora in a way comparable to the animated movie, despite the film taking a different route with the story.
Aurora is the third official Disney Princess and the last to be developed by Walt Disney himself. She is also the first Disney Princess to have an alias, "Briar Rose", that is not mentioned during her film (except in the title). In the film, she is referred to as "Sleeping Beauty" rather than by her name, Aurora, which is mentioned only a few times. This is notable in the House of Mouse episode "Jiminy Cricket", where Jiminy Cricket addresses Aurora as "Sleeping Beauty" as her first and last name.
Aurora is the only Disney Princess to wear a typical princess gown, distinguishing her role as royalty. She is also the first princess to have both parents alive and present throughout the film, followed by Mulan, Rapunzel, Merida, and Moana. Additionally, Aurora has the least amount of screen time out of all the Disney Princesses, with only 18 lines and remaining silent in the second half of the film. Despite this, her film has gained a loyal following over the years, making it a sleeper hit.
Sleep Needs of 7-Year-Olds: What Parents Should Know
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Aurora is the third official Disney princess
Princess Aurora, the protagonist of Sleeping Beauty, is the third official Disney Princess in the franchise. In the film, she is cursed by Maleficent to prick her finger and fall into a deep sleep on her sixteenth birthday. This was far too young to be cursed to sleep forever, and she had spent most of her life sheltered from anyone and anything that could harm her. Her family even sent her to live with fairies in the woods to prevent her from pricking her finger on a spinning wheel.
Aurora is also the first Disney Princess to have an alias not mentioned during her film, except for in the title. In Disney Princess merchandise, she is usually referred to as Sleeping Beauty, and her real name is often unknown or unused by fans. Her alias is Briar Rose, which is also the title of the Brothers Grimm version of the tale.
Aurora is the first Disney Princess to have both parents alive and present throughout the film. She is also the last princess to be developed by Walt Disney, and the last Disney Princess film made in Disney's lifetime. The original design for Aurora was based on Audrey Hepburn's thin frame and graceful demeanor.
Aurora is sixteen years old in Sleeping Beauty, the same age as the actress cast to play her in Maleficent, Elle Fanning.
Aging and Sleep: Strategies for Restful Nights
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Aurora was 16 years old in Sleeping Beauty.
On her 16th birthday, Aurora was cursed to prick her finger on a spinning wheel and fall into a deep sleep.
Aurora slept for 100 years.
Elle Fanning played Aurora in the live-action version of Sleeping Beauty, titled Maleficent. She was 16 years old at the time.











































