Princess Diaries fans up in arms over third movie as Julie Andrews' fate revealed
Princess Diaries fans up in arms over third movie as Julie Andrews' fate revealed
Lauren MartinezTue, August 11, 2026 at 9:52 PM UTC
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Julie Andrews has opened up about the newest Princess Diaires movie -Credit:Getty Images
Princess Diaries fans are now fuming following the confirmation that Julie Andrews–who portrayed Queen Clarisse in the first two films–is not returning for the upcoming Princess Diaries 3.
The Hollywood legend, 90, confirmed the news in an interview with Today, saying she would not be back for a potential third installment in the franchise, which she starred in alongside Anne Hathaway.
Her confession comes as fans first notice a key detail from the first movie in 2001, which called back to one of the film’s famous producers, Whitney Houston, who passed away in 2012, less than a decade after the sequel movie’s release in 2004.
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In her TODAY interview, Andrews admitted that while Hathaway has confirmed a third installment is in the works, she isn’t involved.
“I’m not going to be in it,” she 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,” she continued. “I think the story has to continue with Princess Mia. It’s her story. It’s not really mine.”
In the first movie, fans were introduced to Mia Thermopolis, a teenage girl in San Francisco who learns she’s actually the heir to the throne of Genovia, a foreign country. Her grandmother, Queen Clarisse, helps get her ready for her new role, as she accepts her place as heir.
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Julie Andrews has shared if shel;l be a part of Princess Diaries 3 -Credit:PA
In the second film, Mia learns of a Genovian law that dictates she must marry before becoming queen–and her plans for a loveless but kind marriage are thwarted when she inadvertently falls for Nicholas Devereaux (Chris Pine). At the end of the movie, she gets parliament to pass a new law allowing her to be an unmarried queen, while Clarisse steps down as Mia takes the crown. She also ends the movie happily married to Hector Elizondo’s Joe.
While the movie potentially wouldn’t make sense to continue with Clarisse’s story, especially more than two decades later, fans were still left heartbroken over the news on social media.
“Julie Andrews just put a knife through my chest,” one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter), while a second said, “It’s not Princess Diaries without her but understand.”
“Sad, but understandable. I just freaking hope they’re not gonna make her dead but just say she’s away happy with Joe,” another added, while a fourth shared, “I’m so sad Clariesse is the best part!!!”
Andrews confirmed she won't be returning for the new movie after Hathaway shared an update -Credit:Getty Images
“This is not surprising and completely understandable. Our 90-year-old queen should enjoy her retirement. She had been working since she was a child anyway. But I won’t deny, this feels like being stabbed in the heart. If they kill off Queen Clarisse, I’d be inconsolable,” a fifth added.
Her comments come after Hathaway provided an update on the project in July, two years after it was officially announced.
After the project was stalled due to a script that was rejected, and Hathaway’s commitment to The Devil Wears Prada 2 and her current third pregnancy.
“I think we are moving in the right direction. The script that we were working on–we kind of had to start over with this new direction, which is not the update I think anybody wants, but we all feel really good that this is gonna be the one,” she said about the script.
She then added that her pregnancy “has sort of taken the place of knowing when exactly I can make Princess Diaries 3.”
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
