Why is Belle considered a Disney Princess when she really isn't?

[DodgerGirl]

My mom and I have noticed that every time Disney promotes the princesses Belle is always part of them and I can't figure out why they consider Belle a Disney Princess? Because when you look at the general picture Belle is a village girl and is not royalty and the only reason I think Disney put Belle in the Disney Princess line was because when she wears her yellow ballgown she does look like a princess and her name means beauty in French. Was Belle even considered to be a Disney Princess before the Disney Princess line debuted in the 90's joining Cinderella Sleeping Beauty and Snow White?

 

[pinkxray]

I think Belle is considered a princess because it is assumed she marries the Beast( can’t remember his human name right now)
The beast in human form is a prince no? Isn’t the beginning of the movie about the prince not helping the old lady in the rain, who in turn makes him the beast?

So just like Cinderella, Belle’s assumed marriage makes her a princess. When the movie starts she is not a princess.

 

[A Squared]

Same as Tiana, Snow White, and most of the Princesses. They start out as "ordinary" and marry the Prince

 

[Kit Jackson]

As others have said, Belle married royal. The Beast is a prince.

Longer Version: To be a Disney princess, the character must first appear in an animated feature that had a theatrical release and was not a sequel, and the movie had to be somewhat successful. If the character meets all of the above, she then most meet one of the following: 1) be born royal or 2) marry royal [this is where Belle qualifies because the Beast is actually a prince] or 3) preform a significant act of heroism [which is how Mulan qualifies/why Mulan is an official Disney princess]