
The fallen Princesses of Dina Goldstein
Words by Apostolos Mitsios
Location
Parental Advisory: The following photos are definitely not for the faint-hearted!
Fairy tales always have happy endings, right? At least, that’s what we were all led to believe. But it’s time to face the harsh truth: reality hits harder than fiction.
After countless hours of investigation (and a small fortune spent on private detectives), Yatzer has finally uncovered what really happened to your favorite Disney princesses. Spoiler alert: life didn’t treat them kindly.

Pocahontas, 2009. Photo © Dina Goldstein.

Belle, 2009. Photo © Dina Goldstein.
Snow White, for instance, now juggles four kids and a lazy, good-for-nothing husband. Her days are filled with endless chores, tantrums, and household chaos—a far cry from the idyllic life she imagined when she sang to birds and danced with dwarfs in the woods. It turns out that happily ever after is no match for the grind of domestic reality.
Sleeping Beauty hasn’t fared much better. Once the epitome of youthful innocence, she’s now trapped in an age-defying nightmare. Botox injections, facial fillers, and plastic surgery have replaced her carefree slumber, as she desperately tries to cling to a youthfulness that time has long since stolen. Her once-natural beauty is now an unnatural mask, and the only thing that remains untouched is her long-standing relationship with her pillow.
Little Red Riding Hood’s journey took an equally surprising turn. Forget the forest-wandering girl in a crimson cloak—she’s now a junk-food-obsessed teenager who can barely ride a bicycle. The only wolf she’s worried about is the one on her Uber Eats order screen, and the basket of goodies has long been replaced by super-sized portions and sugar cravings.
The Little Mermaid’s reality is no less tragic. Gone are the days of swimming freely through enchanted waters and singing about life on land. She’s now a commercial attraction in a budget-friendly aquarium, forced to perform synchronized flips for wide-eyed children. Her once-dreamy gaze is now one of exhaustion and resignation, as she realizes that the human world she once longed for is nothing more than a glass tank with a mop bucket nearby.

Princess Pea, 2009. Photo © Dina Goldstein.
The truth hurts—and Canadian photographer Dina Goldstein captures that painful reality with piercing clarity. Through her darkly ironic photo series, she dismantles the illusion of fairy-tale perfection, offering a sobering commentary on how life rarely follows the storybook script. Her work is a brutal reminder that even the most iconic princesses can’t escape the harsh grip of reality.
So, the next time you hear “Once upon a time”, remember: even fairy tales have skeletons in their closets!

Rapunzel, 2008. Photo © Dina Goldstein.
Featured in the latest AIAP book (American Illustration+ American Photography book).

Cinder, 2007. Photo © Dina Goldstein.