Devoted ‘Star Wars’ fans are calling for Princess Leia to be considered an official Disney Princess, following actress Carrie Fisher’s death.
A petition has been started to promote the legendary sci-fi character to the status of the Disney corporation’s other princesses, including Cinderella, Snow White and Ariel from ‘The Little Mermaid’.
The Change.org page, set up by Cody Christensen, has already garnered over 30,000 supporters at the time of writing.
A statement on the page reads: “After the tragic loss of Carrie Fisher, we feel that it is only fitting for Disney to do away with the rule that an official Disney princess must be animated and make Leia a full-fledged princess.
“This would be a wonderful way to remember Carrie and a welcoming to one of Disney’s new properties that is beloved by millions.
“What we are asking is that the Walt Disney Corporation hold a full ceremony inducting Leia as the newest Disney princess as well as a special service in memory of Carrie Fisher.”
The petition will eventually be submitted to Walt Disney’s CEO Bob Iger for consideration.
Official Disney Princesses have a special range of merchandise and have had coronations in front of the iconic Cinderella’s castle as Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
The most recent of these was in 2013, when Merida - the protagonist of Pixar’s ‘Brave’ - was initiated into the franchise.
Bob Iger paid tribute to Carrie in an official statement, following her death on 27 December, in which he said: “Carrie Fisher was one-of-a-kind, a true character who shared her talent and her truth with us all with her trademark wit and irreverence.
“Millions fell in love with her as the indomitable Princess Leia; she will always have a special place in the hearts of ‘Star Wars’ fans as well as all of us who were lucky enough to know her personally.
“She will be sorely missed, and we join millions of fans and friends around the world who mourn her loss today.”
Carrie played Princess Leia in the original ‘Star Wars’ trilogy, a role which she reprised in the seventh instalment in the sci-fi series, ‘The Force Awakens’, in 2015.
It has been confirmed she had wrapped filming on Episode VIII - due out in December 2017 - prior to her death.
