The King's Castle is where the King and Prince Charming live. It later became the home of Cinderella and her friends, following her marriage to Charming. Cinderella's younger stepsister Anastasia also moves in with her after the second sequel, while her now-estranged mother and sister become servants there, as well.
Conception
Artist Mary Blair is responsible for the romantic style of Disney's post-war films. She had previously created concept art for The Three Caballeros and later helped in the creation of Peter Pan. Her use of vibrant colors and amorphous globs offered a dreamy escapism that was reflected perfectly in the King's Castle.
When creating the castle, the goal was to create a castle of dreams that Cinderella could fall in love with. At some point in the process, the silhouette began to grow probably to emphasis the visual contrast. However, the white motif was common throughout the surviving photos available.
Architecture
The architecture is quite ambiguous and borrows from several eras hundreds of years apart probably because historical and geographical accuracy were of little concern during the production of the original film in the late 1940s. However, one can extrapolate a style from some key elements and ideas surrounding the architectural movements, and why it is Baroque. The ideas motivating the Baroque period centered around movement. That is to say, if one could force the eye to move in ways that would make an impact, you would do it, at least predominantly in Italy. The main entrance is a perfect example of this with the reflection pond out front and the stairs guiding the eye to rows of colonnades that disappear into the back.
The grand hall and foyer use this same principle to create an epic sense of scale. The outer gardens and assortment of pottery are equally elaborately ornamented which invoke French aspects of the ostentatious Rococo. However, the forested areas aren't very accurate to any movement.
Places of interest
- King's Throne Room: Where the royal throne is located, and there also a minor seat for the Grand Duke.
- King's Bedroom: The room where the King sleeps and where he gets furious at the Grand Duke by discovering the unknown maiden escaped.
- King's Office: Where the King tries to find solutions to his problems most notably finding his son a suitable wife.
- Dining Room: Where the banquets are served. After Cinderella returns from her honeymoon, she learns the seats of each one in the royal court, although she most likely does away with these seating arrangements after deciding to plan the banquet her way.
- Kitchen: Where the food is prepared. The mice enjoy themselves there.
- Library: Where the Fairy Godmother and the mice created a book for Cinderella during the first sequel.
- Cellar: Where many barrels and storage bags are located and when Cinderella discovered that the Magic Wand was in Lady Tremaine's possession thanks to Jaq and Gus. Lady Tremaine and Drizella also materialized here as toads after the Prince protected Cinderella and Anastasia.
- Tremaine's Bedroom: Is where Lady Tremaine stayed, along with Anastasia, Drizella and Lucifer, when Prince Charming and Anastasia's failed wedding was planned.
- Wedding Chapel: Where the royal weddings are held. Cinderella and Prince Charming were married here. Many bells are rung when a royal wedding is due to happen. This area is also notable for being the location where Cinderella finally defeats Lady Tremaine and repairs her relationship with her younger stepsister.
- Garden: Where all flowers are grown as well as some fruits and vegetables. The romantic date between Cinderella and Prince Charming is were seen here.
- Gym: A large room where both Prince Charming and his father practice their sword fighting and battling skills.
- Clock Tower: Where the clock is located and chimes every quarter hours and each hour, shown ringing twelve in the original.
- Sewing Room: It is where Prince Charming regains his memories about Cinderella thanks to Jaq and Gus.
- Cinderella's Room: This is where Cinderella stayed before her marriage and where Lady Tremaine attempts to send her to her death. She also stayed here in the first sequel.
Appearances
Cinderella
The Castle is first briefly seen from afar during the prologue within the book that the narrator reads, speaking about the kingdom and introducing the main character, it also shown in page and animation format. The Castle is then seen when the King is arguing with The Grand Duke on his son, Prince Charming's independence, showing his wish for grandchildren, with them both agreeing to have a ball with all the maidens in the kingdom attending, wishing and presuming that Charming would fall for one at least. It is then seen when Cinderella is arriving at the palace, seeming astonished by its lavish nature. It shown that in the ballroom, the Prince is being shown maidens, with the King and the Duke watching from above. They are all shown to be disgusted by Anastasia and Drizella, yet the Prince becomes enamored with Cinderella dancing with her. However, at the stroke of twelve Cinderella runs away, with the duke failing to catch her.
It is then shown that the Grand Duke, nervous to tell the king that the maiden ran off (with the King telling him that if he fails, his head is gone). Upon telling him, the king goes mad, until they realized that the Prince is in love and that he won't rest until he finds the girl of the Glass Slipper (which Cinderella left in the palace). It is then seen at the end of the film, during the final scene during the wedding of Cinderella and Prince Charming, with her friends cheering on, with the king grabbing Cinderella's fallen slipper, receiving a kiss, the King turning red as they ride on to their honeymoon.
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True
The King's Castle in Cinderella II: Dreams Come True
The Castle serves as a primary location in the first sequel, appearing in all three segments. It is the main location of the first segment, Aim to Please with it beginning as Cinderella and Prince Charming arriving at the palace, with the Prince needing to leave and Cinderella reuniting with Jaq and Gus alongside her dog Bruno. Throughout the segment, the snobbish Prudence tries to teach Cinderella the proper ways for the banquet, though Cinderella does it her own way, with the King seeming rather pleased and Prudence, happily with the Grand Duke.
The King's Castle at sunset
Cinderella III: A Twist In Time
The King's Castle in Cinderella III: A Twist In Time
The castle also becomes a major location in Cinderella III as Cinderella is forced to seek in to find Prince Charming after Lady Tremaine enchants the Glass Slipper to fit Anastasia's foot. Some more rooms in the castle such as the balcony and cellars are also revealed. Cinderella is later banished from the Kingdom by Lady Tremaine, but not before the mice help to restore the Prince's memory of Cinderella, and he rescues her and returns her to the castle.
Later, the King orders his guards to search for the Tremaine family once they've teleported into hiding. Lady Tremaine eventually returns with Anastasia and transforms her into a Cinderella look-alike, while attempting to have the real Cinderella taken to her doom by Lucifer. In the end, Cinderella manages to return to the wedding and witnesses, to her amazement, Anastasia refusing to go through with the wedding. After Cinderella and the Prince protect Anastasia from one final attempt by Lady Tremaine to get even, Anastasia recovers the wand and returns to her normal self, and finally makes peace with Cinderella. Cinderella and the Prince then tie the knot and Anastasia moves into the palace with them.
The King's Castle in during Cinderella's wedding in Cinderella III: A Twist In Time
Trivia
- Supposedly, blue ink was the cheapest color to make at the time and thus, the entire first film is saturated in blue tones.
- The castle also served as an inspiration for Cinderella Castle; the icon of the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort, which is now considered the icon of The Walt Disney Company as a whole.
- In Kingdom Hearts, the castle, as well as the nearby kingdom, itself, is named "Castle of Dreams".
Gallery
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