Julie Andrews Will Not Appear in 'Princess Diaries 3'

Dame Julie Andrews has confirmed she will not be returning for the third installment of Disney's "Princess Diaries" franchise. The 90-year-old actress, who originated the role of Queen Clarisse Renaldi, told Today.com that the story has evolved and it is now "too late" for her to participate.

"I’m not going to be in it," Andrews stated. "I think the story is slightly different. And I’m not quite sure how they’re dealing with that."

Andrews, who starred alongside Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis, the young heir to Genovia's throne, in the 2001 film and its 2004 sequel, "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," suggested the new film should focus on Hathaway's character.

"I think the story has to continue in Princess Mia," she said. "It’s her story. It’s not really mine."

In the original film, Andrews' character, Queen Clarisse Renaldi, endeavors to mold Mia into a proper princess. The sequel saw Mia needing to marry to secure her claim to the throne.

Hathaway confirmed in 2024 that a third movie was in development, expressing excitement about continuing the fairytale. "Miracles happen," she posted on Instagram at the time. "Back to Genovia … the fairytale continues."

While the script is still being finalized, Hathaway recently shared that the team had a "story breakthrough" and were "moving in the right direction." She noted in July that the script had to be restarted with a new direction, but that the team felt positive about the revised approach.

Previously, Andrews had expressed skepticism about a third film. In 2022, she told Access Hollywood that it was "probably not going to be possible" due to the significant time that had passed since the last movie and the aging of the characters. "Sometimes it’s best to leave a good thing alone," she remarked in another interview, though she added she would be happy if another film were made, she did not expect it.

Andrews played the queen of Genovia in the first two films, which were produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The first film was released in 2001, followed by "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" in 2004. Filming for the third installment has yet to commence.