Nickelodeon's Newest Princess Is a Biracial Knight — and a Total Badass

If you've been conflicted about your child's obsession with princesses, Nickelodeon might have just solved your problem. On Feb. 6, Nella the Princess Knight debuted on Nick Jr. Not only does Nella have a tiara and a dress like the rest of the princesses, but she's also a knight who defends her kingdom.

In addition to not adhering to traditional princess-fueled gender norms, Nella is biracial. Her father is black and her mother is white. According to The New York Times, the decision was influenced by research that indicated most children under 12 would be nonwhite by 2020 and that 17 percent are already biracial.

It's important that children see themselves reflected in the TV shows and movies they watch, and Nella is a great step in the right direction. Although Disney has been creating more princesses of color in recent years, biracial princesses haven't come into the Disney world yet. Nickelodeon decided to represent a child whose looks its audience would identify with and is going against stereotypes with this new character. Nella can wear a sparkly tiara and also be a brave defender of justice.

We're totally for this new trend of badass princesses and hope to see more diverse representations of girls going forward! See more of Nella in the video above.