Credit: DisneySome sequels take years to come together, and The Princess Diaries 3 has become one of the more talked about long term projects in recent memory. Fans have waited patiently, script drafts have reportedly come and gone, and Anne Hathaway has kept the door open by confirming her return more than once.
Now, one of the franchise’s most beloved figures has confirmed she won’t be walking back through that door herself. Julie Andrews, who played Queen Clarisse Renaldi opposite Hathaway in the first two films, has officially closed the book on her time in Genovia. Here’s what she had to say about the decision, along with everything currently known about where the long awaited third film actually stands.
Julie Andrews Confirms She’s Sitting This One Out
Julie Andrews addressed her absence from the upcoming film directly in an interview with TODAY.com, and she didn’t leave much room for speculation. “I’m not going to be in it,” the 90 year old actress said. “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.”
That explanation lines up with where the franchise left things narratively. By the end of the second film, Clarisse had already stepped aside, handing the throne of Genovia over to Mia. Andrews seems to view that transition as something the story already resolved, making a return less necessary from a storytelling standpoint, even if fans would undoubtedly love to see her back on screen one more time.
How We Got Here: A Quick Refresher on the Franchise
The Princess Diaries, based on Meg Cabot’s book series and directed by the late Garry Marshall, hit theaters in 2001 and became a genuine breakout moment for Anne Hathaway. She starred as Mia Thermopolis, an ordinary San Francisco teenager who discovers she’s the sole heir to the small European kingdom of Genovia. Andrews played Clarisse, Mia’s grandmother and the reigning queen regent, delivering the kind of performance that made her instantly beloved to an entirely new generation of fans.
The film pulled in $165 million at the box office, more than enough to justify a sequel. Marshall reunited with both Hathaway and Andrews for 2004’s The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, a Shonda Rhimes scripted follow up that ended with Clarisse formally stepping down so Mia could take the crown for herself. That moment effectively closed Clarisse’s arc, which makes Andrews’ recent comments feel less like a surprising exit and more like the natural continuation of a story that already reached its conclusion for her character.
Where Things Actually Stand With the Script
Anne Hathaway has remained committed to the project for years now, confirming her involvement in the threequel back in 2023. Earlier this year, she gave Entertainment Weekly an update on where things stood, 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.” That kind of comment suggests the delays aren’t for lack of interest, but rather an effort to get the script exactly right before moving forward.
Crazy Rich Asians writer Adele Lim previously signed on to direct the film, and author Meg Cabot has offered some of the most encouraging updates yet about the actual state of the screenplay. Cabot revealed she’s read multiple versions of the script over the years, and recently went through what she called her favorite draft yet. “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.”
That kind of enthusiasm from the original author carries real weight, especially for a franchise built on source material she knows better than anyone else involved in the production.
What This Means for Julie Andrews Fans Right Now
Andrews stepping away from Princess Diaries 3 isn’t entirely out of nowhere when you consider her recent screen history. She hasn’t appeared in a live action film since 2010’s The Tooth Fairy, making this less of a dramatic withdrawal and more consistent with a pattern that’s held for well over a decade. That said, fans hoping to reconnect with her career do have something to look forward to. Andrews will be the subject of a documentary set to arrive on Disney+ next year, giving longtime admirers a chance to revisit her legacy in a very different format than a scripted sequel.
For anyone who grew up on The Princess Diaries and has been waiting for updates on the third film, this is a bittersweet piece of news. Clarisse was as central to the franchise’s charm as Mia herself, and her absence will undoubtedly be felt on screen. At the same time, Andrews’ own comments suggest this is a decision she’s made peace with, framing the next chapter as something that genuinely belongs to Hathaway’s character rather than a story she needs to be part of to feel resolved.
Keeping Up With Genovia’s Next Chapter
Between Hathaway’s continued involvement, Adele Lim’s direction, and Meg Cabot’s growing confidence in the script, there’s more reason than ever to believe The Princess Diaries 3 is inching closer to reality, even without Andrews returning as Clarisse. If you’ve been holding out hope for updates, keeping an eye on interviews with Hathaway and Cabot is probably the best way to stay ahead of any official announcement, since both have proven willing to share genuine details rather than vague teases.
Are you disappointed Julie Andrews won’t be returning for the third film, or do you think the story genuinely belongs to Mia at this point? Let us know in the comments what you’re hoping to see from The Princess Diaries 3 once it finally arrives.
