Genovia’s about to lose its queen, and this time it’s for real. Julie Andrews just confirmed she’s not coming back for The Princess Diaries 3, ending years of speculation about whether the whole original crew would reunite. Anne Hathaway’s still in, the script’s apparently finally clicking into place, but Andrews is done with this one. Here’s exactly what she said and where things actually stand with the movie.
Andrews Shuts It Down Herself
Julie Andrews didn’t dance around it when TODAY.com asked about the third film. “I’m not going to be in it,” the 90 year old actress said flat out. “I think the story is slightly different, and I’m not quite sure how they’re dealing with that. But it’s too late for me to do it. I think the story has to continue in Princess Mia. It’s her story. It’s not really mine.”
Makes sense when you think back on how the last film actually ended. Clarisse already handed the crown over to Mia by the time the second movie wrapped up. Sounds like Andrews sees that as the real ending for her character, no need to come back and revisit something that already got its bow. Fans would obviously love one more scene with her, but she’s clearly made peace with stepping aside.
Quick Rewind on How We Got Here
The Princess Diaries, based on Meg Cabot’s book series and directed by the late Garry Marshall, dropped in 2001 and turned into the movie that launched Anne Hathaway’s entire career. She played Mia Thermopolis, a totally normal San Francisco teenager who finds out she’s actually the heir to a tiny European kingdom called Genovia. Andrews played Clarisse, Mia’s grandmother and Genovia’s actual queen, and that role instantly made her a favorite with a brand new generation of fans.
The movie pulled in $165 million, more than enough to earn a sequel fast. Marshall brought both Hathaway and Andrews back for 2004’s The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, written by Shonda Rhimes, and that one ends with Clarisse stepping down so Mia can officially take over as queen. That’s the ending Andrews is pointing to now, and honestly, it tracks. Her story wrapped up a long time ago.
So What’s Actually Happening With the Movie
Anne Hathaway’s been locked in on this project for years, confirming she was coming back all the way in 2023. She gave Entertainment Weekly an update earlier this year, saying, “We’re constantly working on it. Expectations are very, very high, and if you’re going to do it, you have to knock it out of the park.” Translation: they’re not rushing this, and honestly, good.
Crazy Rich Asians director Adele Lim already signed on to direct, and author Meg Cabot just dropped the most promising update yet. She’s read a bunch of script versions over the years, but she just went through one she actually loved. “I read a script, and it was amazing,” she said. “I told them not to send anymore, because I love it so much. Fingers crossed that’s the one they’re going to use, but it’s a really fun idea, and I’m one hundred percent behind it.” When the person who wrote the books is that hyped, that’s a genuinely good sign.
This Isn’t Coming Out of Nowhere
Andrews stepping back really isn’t a shock once you look at her recent career. She hasn’t done a live action movie since 2010’s The Tooth Fairy, so this fits a pattern that’s been going for well over a decade, not some sudden dramatic exit. Good news for her fans though, there’s actually something new coming. Andrews is getting her own documentary, landing on Disney+ next year, giving longtime fans a completely different way to revisit her career.
If you grew up on these movies, this one stings a little. Clarisse was just as much a part of what made this franchise work as Mia was, and it’s going to feel different without her. But based on what Andrews actually said, this isn’t some bitter falling out. She genuinely seems fine handing the whole story over to Hathaway’s character at this point.
Keep an Eye on What Happens Next
Between Hathaway staying locked in, Adele Lim directing, and Meg Cabot getting more excited with every script pass, it really does feel like The Princess Diaries 3 is inching closer to actually happening, even without Andrews back as Clarisse. If you’re trying to stay ahead of any official news, keep watching interviews with Hathaway and Cabot specifically, since both of them have been dropping real details instead of just teasing something vague.
Are you bummed Julie Andrews isn’t coming back, or do you think this story belongs to Mia at this point anyway? Let us know in the comments what you’re hoping for once The Princess Diaries 3 actually drops.
