# Princess Irene — The Princess and the Goblin character guide > Princess Irene in The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Irene, The Princess **First appearance:** 0000-i-why-the-princess-has-a-story-about-her ## Snapshot An eight-year-old princess so sheltered she has never seen the night sky, who climbs a forbidden stair and finds a grandmother no one else believes in. ## Who they are Irene lives shut inside a great house, guarded from goblins even by daylight's end, and on a wet afternoon she escapes her nurse and runs up a worm-eaten stair until the corridors of doors frighten her into tears. She is lonely, curious, and quick to trust what her elders dismiss, and the ring on her finger glows like a fiery rose when something unseen is near. Her wanderings open the story's second world, the tower where her great-great-grandmother waits. ## Relationships ### [Curdie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters/curdie) _friendship_ Curdie is a brave miner boy who becomes a loyal friend and protector of Princess Irene, helping her against the goblins. ### [The Old Lady](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters/the_old_lady) _family_ The Old Lady is Irene's mysterious great-great-grandmother, who guides and protects her from her hidden tower room. ### [The King](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters/the_king) _family_ The King is Irene's loving father, who cares deeply for her safety and well-being despite his frequent absences. ### [Lootie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters/lootie) _professional_ Lootie is Irene's nurse and caretaker, responsible for her daily care but often fearful and overprotective. ### [Nursie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters/nursie) _professional_ Nursie is a kind, elderly servant who helps care for Irene and provides comfort and simple wisdom. ### [Mrs. Housekeeper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters/mrs_housekeeper) _professional_ Mrs. Housekeeper manages the royal household and attends to Irene's practical needs with stern but caring authority. ### [Sir Walter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters/sir_walter) _social_ Sir Walter is a knight and courtier who interacts with Irene in formal court settings, showing her respect. ### [The Captain](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters/the_captain) _social_ The Captain is a loyal officer of the King who occasionally interacts with Irene in a formal, protective capacity. ### [Curdie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters/curdie) _friendship_ Curdie is a brave miner boy who becomes a loyal friend and protector of Princess Irene, helping her against the goblins. ### [The Old Lady](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters/the_old_lady) _family_ The Old Lady is Irene's mysterious great-great-grandmother, who guides and protects her from her hidden tower room. ### [Curdie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters/curdie) _friendship_ Curdie is a brave miner boy who becomes a loyal friend and protector of Princess Irene, helping her against the goblins. ### [Lootie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters/lootie) _professional_ Lootie is Irene's nurse and caretaker, responsible for her daily care but often fearful and overprotective. ## In the story ### [Why the Princess Has a Story About Her](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/i-why-the-princess-has-a-story-about-her) The little princess, about eight years old, with fair face and starry eyes, sent to be raised in a country house for safety. ### [The Princess Loses Herself](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/ii-the-princess-loses-herself) Gets lost exploring the passages of the house after her nurse leaves the room. ### [III: The Princess and—We Shall See Who](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/iii-the-princess-and-we-shall-see-who) Explores the attic, meets her great-great-grandmother, and learns about the old lady's spinning and pigeons. ### [What the Nurse Thought of It](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/iv-what-the-nurse-thought-of-it) Tries to share her experience with her nurse but is hurt by the nurse's disbelief; shows maturity by forgiving and seeking reconciliation. ### [The Princess Lets Well Alone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/v-the-princess-lets-well-alone) Resolves to keep her secret about the tower lady; gets lost again but finds her way to the kitchen; becomes thoughtful and doubts her own experience. ### [The Little Miner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/vi-the-little-miner) Irene insists on keeping her promise to kiss Curdie, showing her sense of honor and integrity despite Lootie's objections. ### [The Mines](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/vii-the-mines) Mentioned indirectly as the princess Curdie protected; he resolves to say nothing about her to avoid getting the nurse into trouble. ### [X: The Princess’s King-Papa](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/x-the-princess-s-king-papa) Joyfully greets her father and asks to visit her great-grandmother, but accepts the king's explanation that it might have been a dream. ### [XI: The Old Lady’s Bedroom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xi-the-old-lady-s-bedroom) Feeling lonely and dreary, she pricks her thumb, wanders the house at night, and successfully finds her great-great-grandmother in the tower. ### [XIII: The Cobs’ Creatures](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xiii-the-cobs-creatures) The princess is present at the country house, though not directly active in this chapter. ### [XIV: That Night Week](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xiv-that-night-week) Irene spends the week contemplating her promise, is frightened by a goblin creature, flees outside, and is guided back by the mysterious lamp. ### [XV: Woven and Then Spun](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xv-woven-and-then-spun) Visits her grandmother's room, receives the ring and invisible thread, and learns about the magical lamp. ### [XVI: The Ring](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xvi-the-ring) Returns to the nursery after her adventure, tells Lootie about the cat but keeps her grandmother and lamp secret, and later asks about the origin of her glowing ring. ### [Springtime](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xvii-springtime) Enjoys springtime outdoors, asks about her ring, and shows tenderness toward flowers and animals. ### [XX: Irene’s Clue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xx-irene-s-clue) Wakes in terror, uses grandmother's ring and thread, follows it through the mountain, becomes lost and distraught when the thread vanishes. ### [The Escape](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xxi-the-escape) Leads the escape using her grandmother's thread, insists on its reality, wants Curdie to believe her. ### [The Old Lady and Curdie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xxii-the-old-lady-and-curdie) Brings Curdie to her grandmother; is hurt by Curdie's disbelief but learns patience. ### [XXIII: Curdie and His Mother](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xxiii-curdie-and-his-mother) Discussed by Curdie and his mother; Curdie doubts her story, but his mother defends her honesty and character. ### [Irene Behaves Like a Princess](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xxiv-irene-behaves-like-a-princess) Wakes from sleep to face accusations; remains calm and composed, asserting her truth and refusing to argue with Lootie. Demonstrates maturity by choosing to keep Lootie after her distress. ### [Curdie Comes to Grief](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xxv-curdie-comes-to-grief) Mentioned as being asleep during the events; the nurse misrepresents Curdie's earlier encounter with her. ### [The Goblin-Miners](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xxvi-the-goblin-miners) The princess hears the noises and asks her nurse about them. ### [The Goblins in the King’s House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xxvii-the-goblins-in-the-king-s-house) Mentioned as missing; her room is found in disarray, suggesting she was carried off by goblins. ### [XXVIII: Curdie’s Guide](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xxviii-curdie-s-guide) Found asleep in Curdie's mother's cottage; explains she was led there by the thread and expresses gratitude for Curdie's mother's kindness. ### [Masonwork](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xxix-masonwork) Stays at the cottage with Curdie's mother, cheerful despite the storm. ### [The King and the Kiss](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xxx-the-king-and-the-kiss) Reunited with her father, tells the story of her rescue, and insists on keeping her promise to kiss Curdie. ### [The Subterranean Waters](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/chapters/xxxi-the-subterranean-waters) Guided by the invisible thread, she alerts the king to the noise and later reassures Curdie that her grandmother is safe. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters/princess_irene - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_princess_and_the_goblin_se/characters