He didn't have a name. For decades, the guy was just "Prince Charming." He stood around, looked handsome in a sash, and basically functioned as a human trophy for a girl with a missing shoe. But when Disney decided to reboot the 1950 animated classic for a 2015 live-action audience, they had a problem. You can't just have a blank slate in a 4K world. People want depth. They want a reason to care.
Honestly, the live action Cinderella prince—officially named Kit in this version—is probably the most successful "glow-up" of a male lead in the entire Disney remake era. While the 2017 Beast felt a bit too CGI-heavy and the 2023 Eric was... fine, Richard Madden’s Kit actually felt like a real person. He had a job. He had a dad he loved. He had insecurities.
It’s weird to think about now, but back in 2015, we weren't sure if Kenneth Branagh could pull off a fairy tale without making it feel like a Shakespearean tragedy. It turns out, that’s exactly what the prince needed. He needed a little gravity.
Giving a Name to the Man in the Tights
Let's talk about the name "Kit." It’s such a specific choice. It feels grounded. In the original animation, he was an enigma. In the 2015 live action Cinderella prince portrayal, we meet him in the woods. He’s not "The Prince" yet; he’s just a guy out hunting who gets outsmarted by a girl who cares about the life of a stag.
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This meeting is the foundation of the whole movie. If you don't buy that he likes her for her brain and her "courage and kindness," the rest of the movie falls apart. Screenwriter Chris Weitz did something smart here. He made the Prince an apprentice. Kit is learning how to rule from his dying father, the King (played by the legendary Derek Jacobi). This adds a layer of grief and responsibility that makes his pursuit of Cinderella feel less like a whim and more like a desperate grab for genuine connection in a world of political marriages.
Madden plays him with this sort of puppy-dog sincerity that hides behind military posture. It’s a hard balance. If you go too soft, he’s boring. If you go too "alpha," he’s a jerk. Madden found the middle ground.
Why Richard Madden Was the Right Call
Casting matters. At the time, Richard Madden was best known as Robb Stark from Game of Thrones. You know, the King in the North who met a pretty grisly end. Bringing that "noble but burdened" energy to Disney was a masterstroke.
He didn't just look the part in those high-waisted trousers—which, let's be real, were a talking point for months because of how tight they were—he brought a sense of duty to the role. When you watch the live action Cinderella prince interact with the Grand Duke (Stellan Skarsgård), there’s real tension. Skarsgård is playing a political realist. He wants the Prince to marry a Princess for the sake of the kingdom. Kit wants to marry for love.
It’s the oldest trope in the book, right? But it works here because the stakes feel personal. When Kit’s father dies, the scene is surprisingly emotional for a "kids' movie." You see a grown man weeping on his father’s chest, and suddenly, he isn't a fairy tale archetype anymore. He’s a grieving son. That’s the "human quality" that makes this version stand out against the 1950s version or even the Into the Woods parody version.
The Evolution of the "Charming" Trope
If we look at the timeline of Disney princes, the shift is pretty jarring.
In the early days, the prince was basically a plot device. Snow White’s prince shows up at the end like a delivery driver bringing a pizza. Sleeping Beauty’s Phillip was slightly better—at least he fought a dragon—but he still didn't have much of a personality.
By the time we get to the 2015 live action Cinderella prince, the audience demand had changed. We live in a post-feminist critique world. We can’t just have a woman saved by a man she doesn't know. The 2015 film fixes this by making them saves for each other. She saves his soul from the cynicism of the court, and he... well, he provides the carriage out of the basement. But it’s a partnership.
- 1950: No name, three lines of dialogue, good at dancing.
- 1997 (Rodgers & Hammerstein): Prince Christopher (played by Paolo Montalbán) gets some great songs but is still mostly a dreamer.
- 2015: Kit. He’s a soldier, a son, and a king-in-waiting who actually argues with his cabinet about foreign policy.
- 2021 (Amazon Version): Prince Robert (Nicholas Galitzine) is more of a reluctant royal who just wants to dance, leaning heavily into the "I don't want this life" trope.
The Chemistry Factor: James and Madden
You can't talk about the prince without Lily James. Their chemistry is what carries the middle hour of that movie. The ballroom scene is the obvious highlight, but look at the small moments. The way they look at each other when they’re hiding in the garden.
There’s this specific bit of direction Kenneth Branagh used where they don't touch much at first. It’s all eyes. It builds a sort of romantic tension that feels earned. For a live action Cinderella prince to be believable, he has to be obsessed with finding her not just because she’s pretty, but because she’s the only person who hasn't treated him like a crown on legs.
Also, can we talk about the training? Madden apparently spent weeks learning to dance while wearing heavy capes and boots to ensure he didn't look like an amateur. It shows. That waltz is technically impressive, not just "movie magic" editing.
Addressing the Critics: Is He Too "Nice"?
Some critics argued that Kit is a bit too perfect. He’s kind, he’s brave, he’s handsome, he’s rich. Where’s the edge?
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But honestly? Sometimes a fairy tale just needs a good man. We have enough "dark and gritty" reboots. We have enough anti-heroes. The point of the live action Cinderella prince in this specific iteration was to be the male equivalent of Cinderella’s kindness. If she is "kind and brave," he has to be "just and loyal."
If he were a "bad boy" or had some dark secret, it would undermine the theme of the movie. The movie is about the power of being a decent person in a cruel world. Kit is the only person in the entire kingdom (besides the King) who isn't trying to use people. That makes him the perfect match for Ella.
Technical Details and Wardrobe
Sandy Powell, the costume designer, deserves a lot of credit for how the live action Cinderella prince was perceived. She intentionally avoided the "clunky" armor look.
The Prince’s outfits are mostly blues and greens, mirroring Cinderella’s colors. This is a visual shorthand for "they belong together." His military uniform is meticulously tailored. It’s meant to look like he’s constricted by his role, while his "forest" outfit is more loose and natural.
It’s these tiny details that separate a high-budget Disney production from a TV movie. You feel the weight of the fabric. You see the sweat on his brow during the dance. It’s tactile.
What You Can Learn from Kit’s Character Arc
If you’re looking at this from a storytelling perspective, the live action Cinderella prince provides a blueprint for how to modernize a classic character without breaking them.
- Give them a hobby or a job. Kit is a soldier. He understands tactics.
- Give them a family dynamic. His relationship with his father is the emotional anchor of the film.
- Give them a flaw. His flaw is his initial inability to stand up to the Grand Duke until he is inspired by Ella.
- Make them listen. In the 2015 film, Kit spends more time listening to Ella than talking at her.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Creators
Whether you're a die-hard Disney fan or a writer trying to craft your own characters, there's a lot to pull from this version of the story.
First, look at the context of the 2015 film. It arrived right before the "deconstruction" trend became exhausting. It’s a sincere movie. If you're going to revisit this film, watch it alongside the 1950 version. Notice how the Prince's dialogue in 2015 often mirrors the actions of the 1950 prince, but adds the "why" behind them.
If you’re a cosplayer or a costume enthusiast, pay attention to the tailoring of the "Kit" costume. It’s all about the silhouette. The 18th-century influence mixed with 1950s cinematic flair creates a look that is timeless but masculine.
Finally, acknowledge the limitations. The live action Cinderella prince is still a fantasy. He represents an idealized version of masculinity. But by adding grief and political pressure to his story, Disney made that ideal feel just a little bit more reachable. He isn't just a prince because he was born one; he becomes a king because he chooses to be a good man.
To truly appreciate the depth added to this role, re-watch the scene where the King tells Kit he doesn't have to marry for an alliance. It changes the entire motivation for the "search for the glass slipper." It’s no longer a hunt for a mystery girl; it’s a mission to fulfill his father’s dying wish for his son’s happiness. That’s a powerful motivator that the original movie completely lacked.
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Keep an eye on future Disney live-action projects like the upcoming Prince Charming standalone movie being developed by Paul King. It’ll be interesting to see if they follow the "Kit" model of sincerity or go for something more comedic. Given the success of the 2015 version, sincerity seems like the safer bet.