The forthcoming Princess Diaries sequel has been dealt a royally bad blow – Julie Andrews has turned down the new film as she has retired from screen appearances.
Mary Poppins and Sound of Music star Andrews, 90, starred in the first two films – released in 2001 and 2004 – as Queen Clarisse, but she said she has “passed” up the chance to reprise the role, adding: “I think I’m retired, really, would be about the best description for that.”
Andrews revealed she was asked “all last year” if she “would be keen to do it”, admitting that it “was very hard to say no”.
However, addressing why she ultimately rejected the offers, she told InStyle: “I thought I had a wonderful ride, and this one I felt would flourish very well and wouldn’t need Granny going in there at my age.”
Across a career spanning eight decades, Andrews has been garlanded with many accolades, including an Academy Award, seven Golden Globes, and three Tony nominations. In 2000, she was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II.
Since the second Princess Diaries film, Andrews has pivoted exclusively to voiceover roles, in the Shrek and Despicable Me franchises, as well as Netflix series Bridgerton, in which she provides the voice for Lady Whistledown.
In 2024, it was reported that The Princess Diaries 3 was in production, with Adele Lim set to direct the return to Genovia – the world created by author Meg Cabot.
The Odyssey actor Anne Hathaway was set to star, but put the brakes on the project to shoot The Devil Wears Prada 2, which was released in April. The actor said: “It cropped up unexpectedly and took over the space.”
But she revealed that “the intention is to make it hopefully next” and stated: “If I learned anything from The Devil Wears Prada 2, it’s that expectations are very, very high, and if you’re going to do it, you have to knock it out of the park.”
Cabot has confirmed that Robert Schwartzman and Chris Pine will reprise their roles as Hathaway’s love interests, featured in the first two films.
The Princess Diaries, released in 2001, followed the Queen regent of Genovia (Julie Andrews) as she taught her granddaughter Mia (Hathaway) the ways of the throne. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, written by Bridgerton creator Shonda Rhimes, was released in 2004.
Speaking about the potential third film in 2022, Andrews, 90, said that, while she would be “happy” to return, she would have concerns.
“It’s quite a long time now since the two Diaries were done, and I’m not sure, but sometimes it’s best to leave a good thing alone,” she said, adding: “I don’t like it when people milk and milk and milk the subject, you know, ‘til it’s dead.”
