So, I was watching The Little Mermaid the other day, you know, just for old times' sake. And it got me thinking, "How old is Prince Eric supposed to be?" I mean, he's got that whole rugged, sailor thing going on, but he's also got a bit of a baby face, right?
Let's dive into the deep end of this question
First off, let's talk about the source material. Hans Christian Andersen's original tale, published in 1837, doesn't give us a specific age for the prince. He's just a prince, minding his own business, when a little mermaid comes swimming into his life. But the Disney adaptation, released in 1989, gives us a bit more to go on.
In the movie, Prince Eric is introduced as a young man who loves the sea and wants to be a sailor. He's independent, adventurous, and seems to be in his late teens or early twenties. But is there a more concrete way to figure out his age?
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Enter the animators and their sneaky clues
Disney animators have been known to hide little details in their movies, like secret messages or Easter eggs. So, I started digging around, and guess what I found? In one scene, Prince Eric's birthday is briefly shown on a calendar. It's a bit blurry, but with some squinting and a magnifying glass, I could make out the date: October 21st.
Now, we know that the movie takes place over a few days, and Ariel's birthday is also mentioned. She's 16, and it's her birthday when she makes her deal with Ursula. So, if we assume that Prince Eric's birthday is also happening around the same time as the main events of the movie, we can make an educated guess about his age.
Prince Eric Little Mermaid Age
So, how old is Prince Eric?
Well, if we go by the birthday we saw on the calendar, and we assume it's around the same time as the events of the movie, we can estimate that Prince Eric is around 20 to 22 years old. He's a young man, but not a teenager anymore. He's old enough to be a sailor, but still young enough to be swept off his feet by a mermaid with a beautiful voice.
Of course, this is all just speculation. Disney never officially confirmed Prince Eric's age, and the original tale doesn't give us much to go on. But it's fun to think about, isn't it? After all, it's not every day you get to play detective and solve the mystery of a Disney prince's age.
Anyway, next time you're watching The Little Mermaid, keep an eye out for that calendar. And who knows? Maybe you'll spot something else hidden in the movie that'll give us even more clues about Prince Eric's age. Until then, I'll be over here, singing "Part of Your World" and wondering if Ariel ever told Eric about her mermaid roots.