Julie Andrews is a true icon. Over the years, she’s entertained us with her outstanding acting and voiceover roles in Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music and the Shrek movies. Of course, she’s also known for playing Queen Clarisse alongside Anne Hathaway’s Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries and its sequel, The Royal Engagement. The original movie turned 20 last year and, now more than ever, fans are wondering if a third film can still happen. Well, just recently, Andrews shares her honest thoughts on whether the proposed project is still in the cards.
This past week, the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious actress won an AFI Lifetime Achievement Award. It was at the Dolby Theatre, where she accepted the award, that she was asked about the possibility of a Princess Diaries 3. And when responding to The Hollywood Reporter’s query, the 86-year-old star gave an answer that may disappoint some fans:
I think it would be too late to do it now. There was talk of a sequel many, many years ago. But I don’t think it ever came to pass. And Garry then did leave us. [Marshall died in 2016.] [For] especially me, it’s too far down the line now to go back to it. It’s a lovely thought, but I don’t think it would probably be possible.
That’s a real shame, but it’s understandable. It’s been 18 years since the franchise’s last installment. And in that film, Queen Clarisse’s story was wrapped up nicely, as she married her confidante, Joe, and saw granddaughter Mia carry on the royal line as queen. And even if the movie somehow does happen and the British actress opts not to return, I doubt Disney would recast her beloved role.
It’s been hard to know what exactly has been going on with The Princess Diaries 3. Anne Hathaway, who played the awkward princess-turned-queen, shared a hopeful update in 2019. Unfortunately, the death of franchise director Garry Marshall seemingly put those plans on hold. One can understand why the studio may not have wanted move forward without him given how instrumental he was in crafting the series.
Still, it would be great to see the return of Mia Thermopolis and get a feel for how she’s handling the Genovian throne. I’d also like to check in with her activist friend, Lily, who would likely still be her top confidante. And why not bring back Chris Pine while we’re at it? After all, he and Anne Hathaway had great chemistry in the 2004 sequel. Let’s hope that the cast does get to reunite once more and that such a production will somehow involve Julie Andrews as well.
But like her Princess Diaries castmates, Julie Andrews remains busy. She currently voices Lady Whistledown on Netflix’s Bridgerton and is set to voice Gru’s mother in Minions: The Rise of Gru. But if you’re nostalgic for her performance as Queen Clarisse Renaldi, you can stream the two movies with a Disney+ subscription.