Prince Phillip

Prince Phillip is the love interest of Princess Aurora and the main protagonist from the film Sleeping Beauty (1959 film). He is the son of King Hubert. He was voiced by Bill Shirley.

Background
Phillip was the first Disney prince to be given a proper name and a developed character. He is said to have been named after the prince that Americans knew of best at the time, Prince Phillip of Great Britain. The idea of him being captured by Maleficent was a discarded idea meant for The Prince from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, as the animators at that time had problems drawing a realistic human male.

Phillip is known to be brave and heroic. He appears to be several years older than Aurora, as he was a young child while she was still an infant.

Role in the film
Both Phillip, and his father King Hubert, were both invited to the christening of Princess Aurora, the newborn daughter of King Stefan and Queen Leah, as King Hubert and King Stefan were best friends. At Aurora's christening, it was decided that Prince Philip would one day marry Aurora, to unite their fathers' respective kingdoms, and so the two were betrothed. Phillip presents a gift to the baby Princess, but ironically is less than impressed when he sees her. However, at the Princess' debut to the public, Maleficent cursed her, causing the Three Good Fairies to take Aurora into the forest to raise her.

Many years later, a grown up Phillip is riding in the forest. After a tumble in a pool of water, he hangs his wet cape, hat and boots on tree limbs to dry. When he goes to retrieve them, he hears Aurora, now known as Briar Rose, singing. He follows her voice and starts singing with her. She tries to run away, but he follows her. By the end of the song, they have fallen in love. After talking to Briar Rose, she gives him directions to her cottage. Phillip is entirely unaware that Briar Rose is actually his betrothed Aurora. Later, when speaking to his father, Phillip tells Hubert that he has fallen in love with a peasant girl, as Briar Rose had never told him her name. Hubert is dismayed,due to the betrothal, but Phillip manipulates him into agreeing that Phillip should marry the girl he loves.

That night, Phillip goes to the cottage, but he walks into a trap set by Maleficent. Maleficent imprisons Phillip in the dungeon of her castle. She taunts him with the knowledge that Briar Rose is actually Princess Aurora, and reveals that she has fallen under a curse of ageless sleep. However, she can be awakened by True Love's Kiss. Maleficent plans to keep Phillip locked up for 100 years, and then release him. He would be an old man, if not dead, and Aurora would still be a 16 year old girl. Phillip is angered, but Maleficent leaves him with the "happy" thoughts.

The three good fairies choose to intervene; they release Phillip and arm him with the Sword of Truth and Shield of Virtue, which are said to be powerful weapons against evil. The fairies help Phillip return to Stefan's castle, but Maleficent causes a maze of thorns to grow around the castle and block his way. Phillip is able to cut through the thorns using his sword, much to Maleficent's rage. Maleficent appears before him, and transforms into a large dragon, intent on killing the prince. Phillip bravely battles the creature, and is able to kill the dragon, by throwing his sword, magically empowered by Flora, into the dragon's heart. Phillip heads to the tower and awakens Aurora, who is happy to learn that her love and her betrothed are one in the same. Phillip then heads downstairs with Aurora, arm in arm. The two share a dance together, after meeting Aurora's parents.

In Other Media
In Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams, Phillip is one of the characters from Sleeping Beauty to make an appearance, now voiced by Roger Craig Smith. 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. 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 returns at the end of the segment and is part of the celebration for Aurora's duty.



Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Prince 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's curse came true.

Sometime later, Aqua, a Keyblade master, becomes 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 heart from Maleficent's clutches. Together, they transcend to King Stefan's castle to awake 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 and Merryweather continuously change the colors on Aurora's dress with magic.

House of Mouse
Phillip is one of the many Disney characters that appear in the TV series House of Mouse.

Other appearances
He also appears in theme-parks and live events. Phillip is featured in the "Disney Heroes" franchise, a toyline similar but much less successful than the Disney Princess franchise. Phillip and Maleficent in dragon form appear in stylized versions, somehow different from their regular appearance.