Spoiler warning: this post explains the full ending of The Little Prince. If you have not finished the book, stop here and come back later.
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Quick answer: The little prince, who travelled from his tiny asteroid and met the narrator, a pilot stranded in the Sahara, lets a snake bite him so he can return home to his beloved rose. His body disappears, and the narrator, after fixing his plane, looks at the stars and hopes readers will tell him if they ever see the little prince.
Quick facts
– Book: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
– First published: 1943
– Type: A novella
– Tone of the ending: Bittersweet
Table of Contents
What Leads Up to the Ending
The pilot meets the prince, who tells of his planet, his rose and his visits to strange grown-ups on other planets. On Earth he meets a fox, who teaches him that “what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
What Happens at the End of The Little Prince
On his eighth day in the desert, the pilot and the prince find a well, and the water tastes sweet because of the walk together. The prince reveals that it is a year since he fell to Earth and that he will go home. He has made an arrangement with the yellow snake, whose bite can send people back where they came from. He tells the pilot not to be sad: when the pilot looks at the stars, he will know that the prince is laughing on one of them, so all the stars will seem to laugh. That night, the snake bites him, and he falls gently on the sand. In the morning, his body is gone. Six years later, the pilot still wonders whether the sheep he drew has eaten the rose, and he asks readers to write to him if they ever meet a little boy with golden hair.
The Ending in 4 Quick Points
- The prince returns home.
- The pilot remembers him.
- The ending is mysterious.
- The stars become special.
What Happens to the Main Characters
| Character | What happens to them |
|---|---|
| The little prince | Returns to his planet |
| The pilot | Remembers the prince |
| The fox | Teaches the prince |
| The rose | The prince's love |
What the Ending Means
The ending celebrates love and imagination.
Other Ways to Read the Ending
Readers debate whether the prince truly dies or returns to his planet, and the book leaves both readings open. Saint-Exupéry, a pilot himself, disappeared on a flight in 1944.
Themes the Ending Brings Together
Love. The prince's rose.
Friendship. The fox and the pilot.
Childhood. Seeing with the heart.
Is the Ending Happy or Sad?
Most readers describe the ending of The Little Prince as bittersweet. How you feel about it usually depends on what you hoped for the characters and what you expected Antoine de Saint-Exupéry to do with the story, so it is worth asking friends how they felt before you compare notes.
Who Will Like This Ending
Readers who enjoy endings that are bittersweet will find a lot to talk about here. If you prefer every thread tied up neatly, it helps to know in advance how Antoine de Saint-Exupéry closes the story, which is exactly why many readers look it up. Either way, the final chapters reward a second look once you know where everything is heading, because small details from the middle of the book start to matter. If you are reading with a group, agree beforehand whether everyone has finished, so nobody has the last chapters spoiled.
Book Versus Adaptation
The 2015 animated film frames the story with a new character.
Discussion Questions About the Ending
If you are reading The Little Prince with a book club or a friend, these questions work well once everyone has finished:
- Did the ending surprise you, or had you seen it coming from the first chapters?
- What does the final scene say about love, and do you agree with Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's view?
- Which character made the most important choice in the last part of the book, and was it the right one?
- How would the story feel if it had ended one chapter earlier or one chapter later?
- Does the ending leave you hopeful about the characters, or do you worry about what comes next?
- Would you describe the ending as bittersweet, or would you choose a different word?
How to Read the Final Chapters Again
- Compare the opening with the close. Look at how the first chapter introduces love and how the ending answers it.
- Track each final choice. The table above shows where every main character ends up, so ask which of those outcomes was earned.
- Notice what Antoine de Saint-Exupéry leaves unsaid. Gaps in the last pages are often deliberate, and they are where most of the debate about the ending begins.
- Listen for echoes. Images, phrases or settings from earlier in The Little Prince often return in the final scene with a new meaning.
Questions to Ask Yourself After Finishing
- Was the ending of The Little Prince earned by what came before it, or did it feel sudden?
- Which character's final moment affected you most, and why?
- If you could change one thing about the last chapters, what would it be?
- Did the ending change how you think about the opening pages?
Check price of The Little Prince on Amazon
Books to Read After The Little Prince
- Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
- The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
Related: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: Summary and Key Takeaways · What Age Is The Little Prince Appropriate For? A Parent’s Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at the end of The Little Prince?
The little prince, who travelled from his tiny asteroid and met the narrator, a pilot stranded in the Sahara, lets a snake bite him so he can return home to his beloved rose. His body disappears, and the narrator, after fixing his plane, looks at the stars and hopes readers will tell him if they ever see the little prince.
Is the ending of The Little Prince happy or sad?
Most readers call it bittersweet.
What does the ending of The Little Prince mean?
The ending celebrates love and imagination.
Is the ending of The Little Prince the same in the adaptation?
The 2015 animated film frames the story with a new character.
Who wrote The Little Prince and when was it published?
The Little Prince was written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and first published in 1943.
Is The Little Prince worth reading if I already know the ending?
Yes, especially if you enjoy novellas. Knowing the ending can make a first read richer, because you notice how Antoine de Saint-Exupéry prepares for it from the opening chapters.
Should I read The Little Prince before reading the ending explained?
Yes, if you plan to read it, because this post gives away the whole ending.