Royal Family of Hyrule

The Royal Family of Hyrule, often shortened to the Royal Family, is the governing monarch family of Hyrule. It typically consists of a reigning male sovereign, a princess traditionally named Zelda, and, sometimes, a prince. The females of the Royal Family are shown to possess magical powers, as displayed by Princess Zelda's abilities, such as telepathy and prophetic dreams. This ability is implied to come from the family descending from the goddess Hylia.

History
When the Golden Goddesses first created Hyrule, the people of the land were said to be at peace. However, once the Sacred Realm and the all powerful Triforce resting within it became known to the people, many sought to enter and claim the Triforce as their own. Thus the Hyrulean Civil War began, as the tribes of Hyrule fought to establish dominion over the Sacred Realm. Finally, the war was ended when the King of Hyrule united all the tribes under the banner of the Hylian Royal Family.

The Legend of Zelda
The only member of the Royal Family mentioned in the game is Princess Zelda, who is captured by Ganon during his attempt to acquire the Triforce of Wisdom. Impa serves as Princess Zelda's nursemaid.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Long before the events of the game, the King of Hyrule possessed the united Triforce, and secretly sealed the Triforce of Courage away in the Great Palace. When the Prince of Hyrule ascended to the throne, he sought to find it and reunite the entire Triforce. A Magician of the court told the new king that his sister, Princess Zelda, was entrusted by their dying father with a secret that she would not divulge. It is believed that this secret was the location of the Triforce of Courage, although the game manual does not explicitly say so. The Princess was questioned by her brother, but refused to tell him their father's secret. The Magician threatened to curse her if she did not give up this knowledge, and when she again refused, he put her into an enchanted sleep, the effort of which caused the Magician's own death. The new king, grief-stricken, had his comatose sister locked in the North Castle, and decreed that in her honor all the daughters born to the Royal Family would be named Zelda.

Many years later, soon after Link's defeat of Ganon in The Legend of Zelda, a Triforce Mark appears on Link's hand. Impa, nursemaid of the current Princess Zelda, informs him that it is a sign that he is destined to retrieve the Triforce of Courage, unite it with the other two pieces, and use them to awaken the sleeping Princess Zelda. After a long journey fraught with peril, Link is able to open the seal on the Great Temple, retrieve the Triforce of Courage from within, and with the unified Triforce, awaken Zelda from her long slumber.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Prior to the events of the game, a dark wizard named Agahnim gained the trust of the King of Hyrule. Agahnim eventually betrayed and killed the king, taking the throne for himself and brainwashing the Knights of Hyrule to do his bidding. Aghanim is the alter-ego of Ganon, the King of Evil, who was long ago sealed away in the Dark World by the Seven Wise Men. In order to break the seal, Agahnim begins banishing the Seven Maidens, descendants of the Seven Wise Men, to the Dark World. The last maiden in line is Princess Zelda. Fortunately, Link receives Zelda's telepathic message and goes to Hyrule Castle's dungeon and rescues her. Despite Link's efforts however, Zelda is eventually recaptured and banished to the Dark World, releasing the seal on Ganon. Before the evil king can launch his conquest of Hyrule though, Link is able to free Zelda and the other maidens, slay Agahnim, and defeat Ganon, acquiring the Triforce from him. Touching the Triforce, Link wishes that all Ganon's evil deeds be undone. His wish is granted, the King of Hyrule is brought back to life, and peace returns to the land.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
As the game takes place on the island of Koholint instead of Hyrule, the Royal Family does not appear in the game. Only one of its members is briefly mentioned, when Link mistakes Marin for Princess Zelda after he wakes up.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Hyrulean Civil War ended less than a decade before the events of the game. The leaders of the tribes of the land have sworn allegiance to the King of Hyrule, including Darunia of the Gorons, King Zora XVI of the Zora, and Ganondorf of the Gerudo. However, Ganondorf plots to betray the king and seize the Triforce. The Sheikah are also sworn protectors of the Royal Family. Link eventually meets Princess Zelda, who has had a dream foretelling Ganondorf's betrayal and Link's arrival. Her father, the King, does not believe her, and still puts his trust in Ganondorf. Zelda devises a plan for Link to retrieve the Triforce before Ganondorf does and use it to stop him. Link is eventually able to acquire the three Spiritual Stones needed to gain entry to the Sacred Realm, but before he can use them, Ganondorf launches an invasion of Hyrule Castle. It is believed that the King of Hyrule was killed during the attack. Impa, Zelda's nursemaid, is able to escape with the princess. As the two ride past Link, Zelda tosses him the Ocarina of Time, the final item needed to access the Sacred Realm. When Link opens the way to the Sacred Realm however, the plan backfires as Ganondorf enters himself. Link awakens seven years later from a magical sleep to find himself an adult in a world ruled by Ganondorf. After much questing, Link is able to find the Six Sages with the power to seal off Ganondorf. He then discovers that Sheik, who has been aiding him, is actually Princess Zelda in disguise and the seventh sage. When Zelda reveals this however, Ganondorf notices as well and warps her to his castle. After a fierce battle, Link is able to free Princess Zelda and defeat Ganondorf. The Seven Sages then seal Ganondorf away in the Sacred Realm. Peace returns to Hyrule, though Zelda is likely the only remaining member of the Royal Family.

The Composer Brothers Sharp and Flat served the Royal Family prior to their deaths, and were researching the magical powers passed down among its members. The Royal Family has a tomb dedicated to them in Kakariko Graveyard.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
The game largely takes place in the alternate world of Termina, and so the Royal Family of Hyrule is not present. Princess Zelda does appear in a flashback, in which Link remembers her giving him the Ocarina of Time and teaching him the "Song of Time" before he departs Hyrule.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons
The two games take place in the lands of Labrynna and Holodrum, respectively, where the Royal Family of Hyrule has no presence. Some of the lands' inhabitants are aware of them though, as they have heard about Princess Zelda. In a linked game, Princess Zelda will come to Labrynna/Holodrum, warning of a coming darkness that she senses. She is eventually captured by Koume and Kotake in order to light one of the Flames of the Dark Rites, and so that she can be used as a sacrifice to resurrect the Evil King, Ganon. Link is able to interrupt the ritual before Zelda can be sacrificed. He defeats the Twinrova, who are forced to sacrifice themselves to resurrect a mindless, raging form of Ganon. Link is able to defeat Ganon as well, and saves Princess Zelda.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
The only member of the Royal Family who appears is Princess Zelda. She and Link are checking on the Four Sword when Vaati, the evil wind mage who had been sealed within it, breaks free and captures her. Using the powers of the Four Sword, Link is eventually able to track down Vaati, seal him in the sword once again, and free Princess Zelda.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Some time after the events of Ocarina of Time, Hyrule is at peace under the rule of King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule. However, the seal keeping the evil king Ganondorf inside the Sacred Realm eventually weakens, and he once more invades Hyrule. This time, no hero appears to defeat Ganondorf, and the King and his people are forced to appeal to the gods, who cause the Great Flood. The people flee to the mountaintops that remain above the water and become the islands of the Great Sea. Hyrule is sealed away in a large bubble beneath the waves, and Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule remains there.

Many years later, Ganondorf and his monsters appear on the Great Sea and begins capturing Hylian girls, in an attempt to find the descendant of the Royal Family who has inherited the Triforce of Wisdom. Meanwhile, Link is guided on a quest to stop Ganondorf by Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, who is acting in secret through a boat that he embodies, the King of Red Lions. He gives Link the Wind Waker, a magical baton which was once used by the King of Hyrule to conduct the sages. The King of Red Lions eventually leads Link beneath the sea to his ancient kingdom of Hyrule. Link acquires the Master Sword from Hyrule and attempts to use it against Ganondorf. However, Link finds that the Master Sword has lost its power. Tetra, a pirate captain that Link had met earlier, comes to rescue him, but is attacked by Ganondorf. At this point, Ganondorf's Triforce of Power resonates along with Tetra's pendant, which holds a half of the Triforce of Wisdom. With help from the Rito, Link and Tetra are able to escape, and the King of Red Lions guides them back to Hyrule. There, he reveals his true identity as the King of Hyrule. He then gives Tetra the half of the Triforce of Wisdom that he had been protecting, which reveals Tetra's true identity as Princess Zelda, heir to the Royal Family of Hyrule.

The King then tells Link what he must do to restore power to the Master Sword. After he is successful, Link returns to Hyrule just as Ganondorf captures Princess Zelda. Link confronts Ganondorf, but is defeated, and the three Triforce pieces from himself, Ganondorf, and Zelda are reunited into the wish granting whole. Before Ganondorf can make his wish for dominion of Hyrule, Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule appears and touches the Triforce first. He wishes that the remains of Hyrule be washed away and that Link and Tetra may have hope for the future, and tells Ganondorf to drown with Hyrule. As the water of the Great Sea begins to rain down upon Hyrule, Link and Tetra defeat Ganondorf. The King tells Link and Zelda that they must look to the future with hope. As Link and Zelda are safely transported out of the flooding Hyrule, Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule remains with his drowning kingdom. Afterward, Tetra, the only remaining member of the Royal Family, sets out with Link and her pirate crew to find a new land.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
Zelda is the only member of the Royal Family seen in the game. She is captured by Shadow Link along with the rest of the Seven Maidens. After a long journey, Link is able to free Zelda and the other maidens. When Link finds the Dark Mirror, the source of the Shadow Links, Princess Zelda uses her magic to contain its power while Link defeats the remaining Shadow Links. Later, Link and Zelda encounter Ganon, the mastermind behind the troubles in Hyrule. Zelda creates a magical ball of light, which Link strikes Ganon with by firing an arrow through it. Ganon is then sealed in the Four Sword by Zelda and the other maidens, and peace returns to Hyrule.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
The royal family of Hyrule consists of the King of Hyrule, Daltus, and Princess Zelda. The king is advised by Minister Potho. After the evil Vaati unleashes the monsters sealed inside in the Bound Chest, Princess Zelda's magical powers are revealed. Vaati turns Zelda to stone to keep her from interfering with his plans. After Vaati vanishes, King Daltus tells Link of the Minish, a tiny race of people skilled in magic who only reveal themselves to children. Daltus sends Link to find them in the hope that they can help against against Vaati. Later on, King Daltus is possessed by Vaati, who sends the king's vassals to search for the Light Force.

During his quest to restore the Piccori Blade, Link is visited by the ghost of King Gustaf, a past ruler of Hyrule, who summons him to the Royal Crypt. There, he gives Link the golden Kinstone he needs to proceed in his quest.

Link eventually learns that the Light Force that Vaati is seeking had been passed down the Royal Family of Hyrule and now resides in Princess Zelda. On his quest to stop Vaati from draining the Light Force from Zelda, he finds King Daltus locked in the castle's dungeon and releases him. Link defeats Vaati and frees Princess Zelda of her curse. She later uses the power of the Light Force and Vaati's Magic Cap to undo the evils that Vaati had done.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The only member of the Royal Family shown is Princess Zelda, although it is mentioned that they were at one time advised by Auru. After Zant invaded Hyrule and reached Hyrule Castle's throne room, Zelda had no choice but to relinquish power to him in order to save her people. Zant locked her in the castle's tower, where she remains until Ganondorf returns to Hyrule. When Link and Midna confront Ganondorf, he possesses Princess Zelda and uses her body to fight them. Midna is able to free Zelda of Ganondorf's influence however, and the princess aids Link during another phase of the battle.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
As the direct sequel to The Wind Waker, the game only features one member of the Royal Family, Tetra, who is also known as Princess Zelda, though she is reluctant to go by that name.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
The Royal Family rules over New Hyrule after its founding by Link, Tetra, and her pirate crew. Upon discovering the land, the native Lokomo tribe gifted them with the Spirit Flute, which became an heirloom of the Royal family. During the game the only member of the royal family seen is Princess Zelda, though numerous references are made to the ancestors who preceeded her, including Tetra. Teacher serves as Princess Zelda's adviser, while Chancellor Cole assists Zelda in ruling the Kingdom. A stain glass window depicting Tetra can be seen in Hyrule Castle.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The Royal Family of Hyrule does not appear in this game, however, the game's end implies its creation. Zelda, not as a princess, but as the daughter of Skyloft's Headmaster, and Link stay on the surface after the destruction of Demise, and are implied to form the kingdom of Hyrule, presumably with Link and Zelda as the ruling family. The sacred status of the Hyrule Royal Family may be seen as its connection to Hylia.

Link: The Faces of Evil
King Harkinian and Princess Zelda appear in the beginning and ending FMVs in the game. They are advised by Gwonam.

Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon
In the introduction sequence, Harkinian, the King of Hyrule, travels to Hyrule to help his cousin, Duke Onkled, whose lands of Gamelon are being attacked by the evil forces of Ganon. After a month of absence, Link goes to Gamelon to help the King, complying to his request when he left. After another month, when both Link and King Harkinian have not sent word, Princess Zelda, Harkinian's daughter, decides to go to Gamelon to find Link and her father.

It is later revealed that Onkled betrayed his cousin and had him imprisoned, and sided with Ganon in exchange for power. Link was sealed into a mirror by Ganon with the use of magic. Zelda then manages to free both her father and Link, and Onkled is made to "scrub all the floors in Hyrule".

The Legend of Zelda animated series
The Royal Family consists of King Harkinian and Princess Zelda. They are advised by Doof.

Valiant Comics
The Royal Family consists of King Harkinian and Princess Zelda.

Familia Real