Anne Hathaway has spoken publicly about the effort made to bring Julie Andrews back for Princess Diaries 3, saying the production pushed hard to persuade the screen icon before ultimately accepting her decision to step away.
Andrews confirmed recently that she would not be reprising her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi in the upcoming film, telling The Hollywood Reporter that she felt she was ‘really past all that now’. She added that while she did not consider herself ‘completely retired’, the nature of her work has shifted: ‘It’s a different kind of work that I do these days… But truly, I don’t think I should be a part of it.’
Hathaway Responds to Julie Andrews Princess Diaries 3 Decision
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight after receiving a Disney Legends Honour at the D23 Expo, Hathaway was warm but clear-eyed about where things stand. ‘First of all, I just want to say if she has a change of heart, we’re down,’ she said. ‘Just anything, really. But we also want to be respectful.’
Hathaway was unambiguous about the esteem in which she holds Andrews. ‘Like, for goodness sakes, if anybody has contributed to the world of entertainment and to our collective joy, it’s her. Whatever she wants, we completely understand. We did push really hard to see if she would want to do it.‘
A Disney+ documentary focusing on Andrews is also in development, described as ‘revealing’, so audiences will have at least one chance to see her in a new light even without a Genovia reunion.
What We Know About the Film So Far
The third instalment has been building quietly for a while. According to People, the project was officially announced on 5 October 2024. Since then, the production has gathered momentum, with Elle reporting that Adele Lim has been announced as the film’s director. Elle also reported that a potential plot was teased on 21 August 2025, when an open casting call went out for a character named Olivia, offering the first real glimpse of where the story might head.
Hathaway will return as Mia Thermopolis, a role she last played more than 20 years ago. Despite the gap, she has articulated a clear sense of what she wants the film to feel like. ‘I just want it to be fun,’ she said. ‘I want the women who were six when the first one came out, a lot of whom are now mothers themselves, maybe even with six-year-olds… I want them to feel like they’re bringing their children to something that mattered to them.’
Earlier in the year, Hathaway had offered an encouraging update on the project’s progress. ‘I think we are moving in the right direction,’ she said. ‘We all feel really good that this is gonna be the one.’
The Princess Diaries 3 currently has no release date confirmed. With casting now under way and a director in place, Disney has yet to give the film an official slot on the calendar. The open call for Olivia suggests the production is at least actively shaping the next chapter, with or without Queen Clarisse at the table.
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