The news that Julie Andrews, the former monarch of Genovia, is deciding not to return for The Princess Diaries 3 has unsurprisingly spread like wildfire. It is a major heartbreak for fans who fell for her warm, witty chemistry with Anne Hathaway’s delightfully awkward Mia Thermopolis. And as per Anne Hathaway's recent comments, it turns out fans were not the only ones who wanted Julie Andrews to be a part of the third movie, as the team themselves tried their hardest to bring her on board for The Princess Diaries 3. 

As Anne Hathaway reprises her role as Mia, she reveals just how determined the team was to make the royal reunion happen.

Anne Hathaway had plenty of Disney magic to discuss when Entertainment Tonight caught up with her during D23, shortly after she was named a Disney Legend. For Hathaway, the honor came with a trip down memory lane, where Garry Marshall and The Princess Diaries emerged as the career-changing chapter. Naturally, mention of Genovia and The Princess Diaries 3 had to come up, and that is when Hathaway revealed how the team tried their hardest to bring back Julie Andrews.

“We did push really hard to see if she would want to do it,” Hathaway said. She also made it clear that the team understood Julie Andrews’ decision, especially after the legendary actress had basically been one with the entertainment industry for so long. Still, the Princess Diaries team was hardly ready to surrender its queen without a fight, even joking that Andrews could narrate or contribute “anything.” 

Now that Julie Andrews has passed the royal reins, Anne Hathaway told Entertainment Tonight that she wants The Princess Diaries 3 to feel worthy of the memories attached to the franchise. She hopes the women who watched Mia Thermopolis at six can now bring their own children to a story that once mattered deeply to them. That means fun, heart, and plenty of patience.

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With Genovia’s queen and Mia Thermopolis’ mentor figure sitting this royal adventure out, the big question is what The Princess Diaries 3 will look like without her.

With Julie Andrews officially declining her royal return, The Princess Diaries 3 suddenly has one very intriguing vacancy at the Genovian palace. The exact plot is still locked away more securely than the royal family jewels, but Anne Hathaway is back as an older, established Queen Mia Thermopolis. More than 20 years after Royal Engagement, Genovia is clearly entering a new era.

The D23 audience practically crowned that era itself when Anne Hathaway received thunderous applause after being named a Disney Legend. Adele Lim has pointed toward mentorship, joy, and female empowerment, while Meg Cabot has confirmed that pieces of her books found their way into the script. If Julie Andrews will not guide Mia, the sequel may instead make Mia the queen guiding Genovia’s next generation.

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Do you think the team behind The Princess Diaries 3 should have tried harder to bring back Julie Andrews? Let us know in the comments!