Recently, I have come across a series of mind-blowing pictures depicting the fates of fallen princesses after the “happily ever after“.

Canadian photographer Dina Goldstein used her imagination to explore the darker side of fairy tales where fairy princesses were juxtaposed with the issues affecting women nowadays such as illness, addiction and self-image issues.

Inspired by both her daughter and her mother, Dina witnessed the irony of life in her daughter’s ‘Princess phase’ and mother’s struggle with cancer:

“Jordan, my daughter, was three at the time and was just starting to get into the ‘Princess phase’. Princesses were everywhere and I too was getting introduced to them. ( I grew up in Israel in the early 70’s , and was not exposed to Disney at all ). Just around the same time my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. The two events collided and made me wonder what a Princesses would look like if she had to battle a disease, struggle financially or deal with aging. I began to imagine what could happen to the Princesses later in life and after the happily ever after. Naturally they would have to deal with challenges that all modern woman face. My first idea was Rapunzel going through chemo and loosing her precious hair . I began to loosely sketch and came up with ideas for the rest of the images. With a very limited budget and a lot of volunteer help, I shot the series over two years.” [Source]

Her collection “Fallen Princesses” portrays some of our familiar Princesses living the life that everyday women deal with – a loveless marriage, being a lonely spinster, working a job you loathe, etc,. and Dina does an amazing job.

Life is not all about rainbows and butterflies.

The truth behind all the fairy tales

are beautiful heroines battling common hardships of life

to pursue happiness…

Thank you so much for reading.

XOXO Eryn ❤