The psychology behind being a modern day princess
When we think of a princess from a fairytale or Disney film, a lot of us will recall the classic damsel in distress who needs saving from a prince.
However, in today's world this seems an antiquated image - and far from the latest woman to join the royal family, Meghan Markle. Princesses and queens represent our ideal of what a woman should be, and naturally this image has changed with the course of history. Towards the end of the last century, the landscape started shifting for women; from the birth control pill to the equal pay act, women were given more rights than ever before and - for the first time - a voice. Some Disney films reflected this change with strong female characters like Pocahontas, Mulan and, more recently, characters like Brave.
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With the royal wedding looming, Meghan Markle proves that being a princess today holds a different meaning. Donna Dawson, a lead psychologist, has unveiled the traits that a real-life princess should follow to recognise the power of the woman.
Self confidence:
“Today a prince is more of a PR man for the royal family, spending his days visiting the people and supporting their causes, both physically and emotionally. He needs a partner who can share this work with him, who isn’t afraid to be constantly on public display – especially with social media. However, ‘self-confidence’ for today’s princess is also about knowing who she is and what she has to offer, and never losing sight of that.”
Diplomacy:
“A princess who can handle people tactfully, appear interested when she isn’t, laugh at jokes that aren’t funny, and never show irritation is a must in today’s world. This also means never losing her temper in public.”
A 'down to earth' attitude:
“A princess should never act like a spoiled princess, but have an understanding and an empathy for how ordinary people live, share their interests, and show a willingness to ‘rough it’, if necessary.”
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Sense of humour:
“This trait is even more important when things go wrong, as it defuses stress for everyone involved. The ability to laugh at one's self is even more endearing when that person is a royal.”
Adaptability:
“Being able to go with the flow is very important. This means not being thrown when things change; and being as comfortable on her own as she is in a room full of strangers.”
A balanced outlook:
“This means sharing the interests of her prince, but also having her own interests and passions; being able to give and to receive emotional warmth, but without being emotionally needy and demanding; and being able to lend a hand, cooperate and compromise when needed, but also remaining her own person."
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