None of these characters have castles, crowns, or royal subjects, however hard they might wish it. But they are princesses in another sense - spoilt, entitled, and generally under the impression that other people exist to do their bidding. They get their comeuppance, though - so read on to discover precisely how far they fall. Some manage to claw their way back into being a decent human being, but others - well, let's just say that some have a lot in common with the royalty the French beheaded. Ahem.
Elle Woods (Legally Blonde)
The Princess: Daughter to filthy rich parents, Elle Woods loves pink. No, really loves pink. She’s all about the latest fashion trends, and won’t stand for anything that doesn’t come with an expensive price tag (just look what happened when her sorority tried to change their bog roll from Charmin to generic).
How Spoilt? So spoilt that even her pet Chihuahua drinks Evian water.
Karmic Punishment: She realises everyone judges her by her appearance - which isn't really a punishment, but it comes as a shock to Elle. Like the indomitable lawyer she is, she proves how shallow they all are by crushing it in court.
Ann (Roman Holiday)
The Princess: A princess proper, dear old Ann. Next in line to the throne of an unspecified country, she’s considered guest of honour at any party that she decides to grace with her presence. When she vanishes while touring Rome, the whole of Italy is recruited to track her down. Yes, she’s just that important.
How Spoilt? Waited on hand and food, dressed to the nines 24 hours a day, garnished with jewellery. Answer: very.
Karmic Punishment: Fame comes at a price, and Ann sees the ugly side of things when she’s recognised and accosted by a couple of vagabonds.
Adam/Felicia (Priscilla Queen of the Desert)
The Princess: Adam wants everything now. Strike that, he wants everything yesterday. Joining a trio of drag queens who are on their way to a performance, Adam enjoys winding people up and frequently acts out for dramatic effect.
How Spoilt? He’s pretty darned obnoxious, and boasts more make-up, shoes and dresses than Cher on tour.
Karmic Punishment: Hmmm, not so much karmic, but Adam does get beaten up by some homophobic goons. Not that we condone that sort of behaviour.
Kathryn (Cruel Intentions)
The Princess: Hard to beat Glenn Close’s debonair meddler in Dangerous Liaisons. Somehow, Kathryn manages it. She lives in an opulent New York penthouse and entertains herself by interfering with other peoples’ relationships: namely those of half-brother Sebastian.
How Spoilt? This girl has an outfit change every ten minutes, and spends any excess cash on cocaine.
Karmic Punishment: Her malevolent, drug-taking ways are exposed to the entire school during her stepbrother's funeral. Justice. Served.
Cher Horowitz (Clueless)
The Princess: The Beverly Hills version of a Valley Girl, Cher is a princess from head to toe. Waited on in her father’s mansion by any number of servants, she shows off her money with clothes and accessories, and rules Bronson Alcott High School from her lofty perch. Equally adored and abhorred by all.
How Spoilt? Cher’s wardrobe is hooked up to a computer through which she selects her day’s attire. Also, she can’t cook, which speaks volumes.
Karmic Punishment: She alienates her friends, but makes amends in the end. She’s lovely, really.
Dawn Davenport (Female Trouble)
The Princess: Self-appointed princess Dawn truly believes that she has what it takes. Then she runs away from home, she is impregnated by a stranger and gives birth to daughter Taffy, who turns out to be a criminal in the making. Which only exacerbates Dawn’s diva behaviour.
How Spoilt? When she doesn’t get the cha-cha heels that she wants for Christmas, Dawn flies into a frenzy, assaulting her mother.
Karmic Punishment: Her face is disfigured with acid. Then she's tried for murder and electrocuted.
Regina (Mean Girls)
The Princess: Regina is Queen Bee of North Shore High. She picks up and drops boys as she pleases, and enforces her own strict law code on her fellow (but subordinate) Plastics.
How Spoilt? She can do whatever the hell she wants, talking back to her mother and rough-and-tumbling with boys in her bedroom.
Karmic Punishment: Tricked into eating high calorie snacks - which she believes will help her lose weight – Regina’s, um, assets balloon. She loses her Queen Bee crown.
Becky (Drop Dead Gorgeous)
The Princess: Pageant princess Becky is the daughter of a former Mount Rose American Teen Princess pageant queen. Becky is tough as nails (she's president of the Lutheran Sisterhood Gun Club), but likes to pretend she’s sweetness and light (case in point: her visit to former contestant Mary in the bulimia ward).
How Spoilt? Becky's father is the richest man in town. And her mother would literally kill for her to win the pageant.
Karmic Punishment: Having dubiously won the contest, Becky is roasted alive while standing atop her celebratory swan parade float.
Heather Chandler (Heathers)
The Princess: Part of a triumvirate of high school girls all called Heather, all spoilt, and all bitchy as hell, Heather Chandler is the shorter blonde one and leader of the pack. She plays that most bourgeois of pastimes, croquet, and wears shoulder-pads.
How Spoilt? Heather treats other students with the same amount of respect as she does roses, ie none. Emotions are things for her to toy with.
Karmic Punishment: She accidentally gulps down a drain cleaner drink and promptly dies. Kay sera sera.
Bianca Stanford (10 Things I Hate About You)
The Princess: Another popular high school gal who follows the Valley Girl mould, Bianca lives in constant despair over how devastatingly uncool her older sister is. She also suffers under the constant scrutiny of her pregnancy-paranoid OBGYN father.
How Spoilt? She wears a pearl necklace. That’s pretty darned spoiled.
Karmic Punishment: Being forced to don a pregnancy pad is rather humiliating, but Bianca’s inherent sweetness (hidden under layers of brat) means she gets off easy.
