Prince Charming

Villain Overview

Gallery

Evil-doer

Full Name

Charming Fortuna

Alias

Prince Charming

King Charming
Prince Shrek (falsely)

Origin

Shrek 2

Shrek the Third

Occupation

Prince
Actor

Powers / Skills

Swordsmanship

Manipulation
Intelligence
Deviousness
Cunning
Leadership
Charisma

Hobby

Pampering himself.

Practicing acting and swordplay.

Goals

Marry Princess Fiona.

Kill Shrek.
Avenge his mother's death.
Become the new king of Far Far Away (all failed).

Crimes

Abuse of power
Attempted murder
Usurpation
Breaking and entering
Animal cruelty
Sexual assault
Mass corruption
Terrorism
Treason
Identity theft
Public endangerment
Attempted love theft
Attempted pedicide
Unlawful imprisonment
Conspiracy
Child endangerment
Fraud
Kidnapping
Incrimination
Poaching
Vandalism
Abuse
Stalking
Sabotage
Aiding and abetting
Attempted nepoticide

Type of Villain

Egotistical Usurper

“	Our happily ever after is nearly complete, Mummy. And I assure you... the people of this kingdom will pay dearly for every second we've had to wait.	„
	~ Prince Charming in Shrek the Third.

“	Prince Charming: This was supposed to be MY HAPPILY EVER AFTER! Shrek: Well, I guess you need to keep looking, 'cause I'm not giving up mine. Prince Charming: Mummy?	„
	~ Prince Charming's last words before being seemingly crushed to death by a falling tower knocked over by Dragon.

Prince Charming is the secondary antagonist of the Shrek franchise, serving as the secondary antagonist of DreamWorks' eighth full-length animated feature film Shrek 2, the main antagonist of DreamWorks' twelfth full-length animated feature film Shrek the Third and a cameo character in DreamWorks' twentieth full-length animated feature film Shrek Forever After, the 2010 TV special Scared Shrekless and the 2011 short film Thriller Night.

He is an English-accented prince-to-be with "softy and bouncy" blond hair. He was originally supposed to rescue and kiss Princess Fiona, stop her "dreaded curse", and live happily ever after with her. However, she was rescued by an ogre named Shrek and fell in love with him instead. He is the son of the Fairy Godmother.

He was voiced by Rupert Everett, who also played Lord Rutledge in Dunston Checks In, Doctor Claw in the 1999 Inspector Gadget film, Sloan Blackburn in The Wild Thornberrys Movie, Carnaby Fritton in St. Trinians and John Lamont in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. In the video game adaptations, he was voiced by James Arnold Taylor also voiced Osi Sobeck and Rako Hardeen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Biography[]

Shrek[]

“	Shrek: Oh, you were expecting Prince Charming? Fiona: Uh, yes.	„
	~ Prince Charming's mention in Shrek.

Although Charming does not appear physically in the first Shrek movie, he was briefly mentioned by Shrek, in which Fiona reveals that she thought that she would be rescued by a Prince "Charming", probably told to her by her parents in advance.

Shrek 2[]

“	Prince Charming: Mother. Fairy Godmother: Charming sweetheart. This isn't a good time, pumpkin. Mama's working. Prince Charming: Whoa, what happened here? Fairy Godmother: The ogre, that's what. Prince Charming: What? Where is he mum? I shall rend his head from his shoulders. I will smite him where he stands. He will rue the very day he stole my kingdom from me.	„
	~ Prince Charming showing up at his mother's trashed factory and swearing revenge against Shrek.

Prince Charming later makes his first appearance in Shrek 2, where he served as the secondary antagonist, being more of a comic relief, his mother the Fairy Godmother being the main antagonist.

He first appears traveling to the castle, where Princess Fiona had been imprisoned, only to discover that Shrek has already found her and married her, and that Big Bad Wolf (without any explanation how he got there in the first place) has taken to sleeping in her tower. When Charming asks Wolf where Fiona is, he tells him she's on her honeymoon. Charming, surprised, then asks whom.

While Charming does this, his mother makes sure the real Shrek, who had been turned into a human by the Happily Ever After potion, doesn't reach Fiona. Later Shrek, Donkey (who drank the potion and became a horse) and Puss spy on Harold, Charming and Fairy Godmother at The Poison Apple. Harold tells them that Fiona is not warming up to Charming, to which he says it's not his fault, and that he can't woo Fiona, while pretending to be a "dreadful ogre." Fairy Godmother then demands that Harold give Fiona a love potion that will make her fall in love with Charming if she kisses him. Harold refuses, but Fairy Godmother warns Harold she could take away his happy ending. After Charming calls Fairy Godmother 'Mother'. Donkey shouts "Mother?", causing them to see Donkey with Shrek and Puss and realize they have been listening the whole time and having them arrested and imprisoned.

At the royal ball, Charming tried to woo Fiona, even though she was disgusted with him. Fairy Godmother sings "Holding Out for A Hero" to which Charming and Fiona dance to. When Charming is about to kiss Fiona, the real Shrek arrives with Donkey, Puss and their fairytale friends (who had rescued the trio). They then take away Fairy Godmother's wand. The Fairy Godmother orders Charming to kiss Fiona and he does so, and she appears to have fallen in love with him, but then she suddenly puts her two hands on his cheeks and does a Karate shout and head-butts him, knocking him out, as Harold didn't give Fiona the philtre. Prince Charming then recovers, grabs his mother's wand from Puss, and tosses it to her. Fairy Godmother catches her wand and aims it at Shrek but Harold blocks it. The ray reflects off his armor and hits the Fairy Godmother, turning her into a burst of bubbles, much to Charming's horror.

Afterwards, Charming is forced into dancing with Doris, who forcefully kisses him, much to Charming's chagrin.

Far Far Away Idol[]

Charming later appears in Far Far Away Idol, the short film on the original Shrek 2 DVD. He sings I'm Too Sexy, but Shrek and Fiona push a remote to activate a trapdoor beneath Charming's feet due to his bad singing. Picking him via remote will result in Simon Cowell becoming the winner himself.

Shrek the Third[]

“	Once upon a time, someone decided that we were the losers! There are two sides to every story, and our side has not been told! So, who will join me?! Who wants to come out on top for once?! Who wants their happily ever after?!	„
	~ Prince Charming's speech to the fairytale villains.

Charming later returns in Shrek the Third, this time as the main antagonist, having a fairly major role. He is first seen in a theater, playing himself due to his name. However, despite being the hero in his own play (which appears to be a spoof on the classic fairytale, Rapunzel), the audience cheers when the "Shrek" mascot comes onstage, along with Shrek's friends, who are there watching the show. Finally (in a version of a Buster Keaton gag), a prop tower falls on Charming, but he escapes injury as the window passes around him. Charming leaves the theater upset and goes to his "dressing room" (in reality, the back alley behind the bar) and starts sobbing at his misfortune. Charming vows to his mother (whom he has a picture of) that he will become the king of Far Far Away and kill Shrek to avenge her death.

After seeing King Harold's funeral, Prince Charming goes to The Poison Apple and organizes an army of villains who don't trust him at first due to him being presented as a hero: Captain Hook, Stromboli, Headless Horseman, Evil Queen, Evil Trees and Witches - all upset that they haven't gotten their "Happily Ever After" and encourages them to help him in his plans of revenge.

Charming and his army of villains began invading Far Far Away. The villains wreck havoc all over, wrecking buildings and scaring civilians but Charming orders them to invade the castle and not wreck havoc. Charming, Hook, Cyclops and the evil trees then invade the castle but find out that Shrek and Fiona aren't there, and that Shrek has gone to Worcestershire while Fiona, Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Doris, and Rapunzel have gone into hiding after celebrating a baby shower for Fiona's newborn babies. Instead, they see Pinocchio, Three Little Pigs, Gingerbread Man, and Big Bad Wolf all doing their leisure time as Charming tells them where Shrek and Fiona are. When Gingy and the rest of their friends refuse, he has Hook force Gingy to co-operate, forcing him to daydream. Charming then tells Pinocchio to give him Shrek's whereabouts and not lie, which causes the puppet to tell a twisted version of the truth while trying to not lie at the same time. However, one of the three little pigs gives out information and says that Shrek has gone to Worcestershire to find Arthur, who is set to be the next king of Far Far Away, in which Pinocchio lies that Shrek isn't even though he is. Angered, he orders Hook to have his men kill Arthur, but have Shrek brought back alive as he reveals that he's got a special plan for him. Hook then goes to Merlin's island where they find Shrek, Arthur, Donkey and Puss while Charming has Gingy, the Three Little Pigs, the Big Bad Wolf, and Pinocchio captured. Charming also brainwashes Far Far Away's knights and has them co-operate with him.

Meanwhile, Fiona, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Snow White, Doris, Cinderella, and Rapunzel are underground trying to make their way. Outside, they find out that Charming is setting up a stage show, intending to use it so he can kill Shrek before they are captured by knights. It turns out that Rapunzel has decided to betray them so she can become Charming's love interest. When Shrek, Artie, Donkey, and Puss return, they find Far Far Away all in ruins thanks to Charming. Charming is then shown reciting one of his lines for his stage show but gets frustrated with the script and throws his sword in anger due to the Evil Trees and Cyclops doing dance practice. He then goes to his secret room where he sees a picture of Fairy Godmother, telling her that his plan is almost succeeding. But Shrek comes in to his private room demanding where Fiona is. Charming assures him that Fiona and the others have been captured. The Far Far Away Royal Guard shows up to capture Shrek as Donkey, Puss and Artie have also been taken captive as well resulting Charming to find out about Arthur being Far Far Away's suppossed next king. To protect Artie, Shrek lies and claims that he was using Artie as a pawn to replace him as the next king. Charming believes Shrek and allows a brokenhearted Artie to leave, while he captures Shrek to kill him for his stage play and has Puss and Donkey imprisoned with Fiona and the other princesses. However, they all escape and convince Artie to help them, saying that Shrek lied to protect him.

Prince Charming then begins performing on stage, riding a white horse as he is set to become Far Far Away's next king.

Shrek then throws Charming in front of the stone tower, which is knocked on top of him by Dragon. Before the tower falls on him, Charming lets out a feeble "Mommy?" before being presumably crushed to death. His crown rolls away from the wreckage undamaged, which Artie catches and places on his head, signifying his decision to become the new King of Far Far Away.

Shrek Forever After[]

In Shrek Forever After, Prince Charming makes a cameo during the credits. He was originally meant to properly appear in the film, but was cut.

Scared Shrekless[]

Prince Charming appears in the TV special Scared Shrekless in Puss and Donkey's scary story.

Thriller Night[]

Prince Charming also appears in Thriller Night as one of the zombies who danced with each other in a parody of Michael Jackson's well-known song "Thriller". The whole ordeal turns out being a nightmare Shrek had while sleeping during the trailers' showcase at a movie theater in Far Far Away,

Personality[]

As seen when he narrates his story at the beginning of Shrek 2, he is portrayed as a selfish and arrogant mother's boy who tries to look good. He also had a crush on Fiona in the second movie, seeing how he wanted to marry her. However, after learning her loyalty belonged to Shrek, he lost all feelings he had for her, and showed no remorse for harming her and her friends in the third movie.

Quotes[]

“	Once upon a time in a kingdom far, far away, the king and queen were blessed with a beautiful baby girl. And throughout the land, everyone was happy, until the sun went down, and they saw that their daughter was cursed with a frightful enchantment that took hold each and every night. Desperate, they sought the help of a fairy godmother who had them lock the young princess away in a tower, there to await the kiss of the handsome Prince Charming. It was he who would chance the perilous journey through blistering cold and scorching desert, traveling for many days and nights, risking life and limb, to reach the dragon's keep. For he was the bravest (removes helmet) and most handsome (removes a hairnet and whips hair) in all the land. And it was destiny that his kiss (sprays mouth with breath freshener) would break the dreaded curse. He alone would climb to the highest area of the tallest tower to enter the princess's chambers, cross the room to her sleeping silhouette, pull back the gossamer curtains to find her... (gasps when he sees Big Bad Wolf in the bed)	„
	~ Prince Charming narrating at the beginning of Shrek 2.

“	Oh, about five minutes ago, actually. After I ENDURED blistering winds* and scorching deserts, I climbed to the highest room of the tallest tower--!*	„
	~ Prince Charming yelling at King Harold about how he survived every hardship that nature threw at him, only to find that Fiona is already married, to Shrek, before being interrupted by his mother.

“	You really do have a way with children, Shrek.	„
	~ Prince Charming taunting Shrek for driving Artie away.

“	A NEW ERA FINALLY BEGINS!! Now... all of you... BOW BEFORE YOUR KING!!	„
	~ Prince Charming claiming victory after seemingly stabbing Shrek, unaware that the sword is caught between Shrek's arm and chest due to Charming's bad aim.

“	Mummy?	„
	~ Charming's last words just before his death.

Trivia[]

Like the previous villain, Lord Farquaad, he wanted to marry Fiona for power and tried to kill Shrek.
In Shrek 2, Prince Charming was subservient to his mother; the personality change he underwent in the third film could be because his mother died, so he had to grow up and become his own person.
Charming is so far the most recurring villain in the Shrek series.
Since Charming was the main antagonist of Shrek The Third, he is the first main antagonist of the third film in a computer animated film series.
Over the years, most Shrek fans have speculated what became of Prince Charming in the alternate timeline which Rumpelstiltskin created in Shrek Forever After. However, as Prince Charming was supposed to rescue Fiona but Fiona mentions that no one was able to rescue her so she decided to escape herself, it is possible that Prince Charming was killed by the dragon or given that Rumpel killed the kings and became King of Far Far Away, thus stripping Fiona from her royal status, the Fairy Godmother abandoned her plan to take over the kingdom and didn't send Charming to rescue Fiona, aside that as Rumpel took over the magic wishes business with his contracts as well, Charming and his mother possibly left Far Far Away so the Fairy Godmother could settle her business in another kingdom and possibly find another spouse for Charming.
When Prince Charming and the villains begin invading Far Far Away, this is somewhat influenced by real-life events such as the Blitzkrieg during WW2 and the invasion of Crimea.
Prince Charming has the distinction of being one of the three main antagonists of the Shrek film series to refer to Shrek by his name (the others are his mother Fairy Godmother and Rumpelstiltskin), while Lord Farquaad is the only main antagonist who derogatorily referred to Shrek as "ogre".
Prince Charming is arguably the least evil main villain in the franchise as how he loved his mother, cares about Rapunzel, and treats his friends well.
Prince Charming and Rapunzel were the only villains from Shrek the Third to not be redeemed by the end of the film. This is rather ironic, seeing how they are both good in their source material.
A viewer with a keen eye can notice that Charming was standing where the part of the tower with the window was falling. This could possibly mean that he is still alive.