Princess Zelda is the name of a fictional character in The Legend of Zelda series by Nintendo.
Zelda from Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The name has applied to many female members of Hyrule's royal family, which includes several distinct characters in Hyrule legend.
Zelda, from Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Though she is the eponymous character, her story role is often that of donor or damsel in distress. The player instead controls Link, the series' protagonist, and usually focuses on defeating Ganon (or Ganondorf), the series' main antagonist. Many Zelda games adopt the classic princess and dragon premise of chivalric literature; Zelda is usually kidnapped or imprisoned by Ganon, prompting Link to come to her rescue. Some games in the series have also emphasized Zelda's magical abilities and importance to the functioning of Hyrule, showing that she's more than capable of taking care of herself. In several games she is one of the sages whose work is essential to defeating Ganon; in others she adopts alternative personae in order to take a more active role in her kingdom; and in some she is a self-sacrificing princess regnant.