Disney checkmates Ron DeSantis with a King Charles clause

Forget about Disney princesses. Mickey Mouse might have just proved who’s the real king of Florida.

Disney used a legal clause that name checks King Charles III to apparently thwart Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ attempt to strip the company of its self-governance power in the state.

For nearly a year, state legislators, encouraged by DeSantis, have sought to exert more control over the company’s Florida-based theme parks by passing a bill that would dissolve Disney’s special tax district. DeSantis also wanted to rename the area the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and plant a new board to oversee it.

Widely seen as a contender for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, DeSantis became locked in a bitter and public feud with the entertainment giant over the company’s denouncement of Florida’s HB 1557 law early last year. HB 1557, dubbed by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, limits early education teachings on sexual orientation or gender identity.