The Reason Why Julie Andrews Isn't Returning for "The Princess Diaries 3"

Twenty-two years after The Princess Diaries introduced audiences to Mia Thermopolis and the fictional kingdom of Genovia, a third movie has finally received the royal seal of approval. Anne Hathaway is set to return as Mia, now Queen of Genovia, but one familiar face will be missing from the reunion: Julie Andrews.

The 90-year-old veteran actress played Queen Clarisse Renaldi, Mia’s grandmother and the woman who helps turn an awkward teenager into a future queen. While fans have hoped to see her reprise the role, the actress has now made it clear that she won’t be part of The Princess Diaries 3.

Julie has been realistic about a potential third Princess Diaries movie for years. When Disney was developing another installment, she told Access Hollywood in 2022 that she doubted she would be able to return, pointing to the amount of time that had passed since the first two films.

In 2024, she told TODAY that she wasn’t expecting another movie to happen, while admitting she would have been happy if it did. “It’s quite a long time now since the two ‘Diaries’ were done,” she said, adding that sometimes it was better to leave a good thing alone.

Now that the third movie is actually moving forward, Julie has given a more definite answer. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she said she doesn’t think she should be part of the new film.

“I think I’m really past all that now,” Julie told the outlet. “I’m not completely retired, but it’s a different kind of work that I do these days—[writing] books, and I do a lot of recording of podcasts and voiceovers. But truly, I don’t think I should be a part of it.”

Her age and health have also shaped that decision. Julie is now 90 and has arthritis, according to InStyle. In an interview with the magazine, she said the creative team had asked throughout the previous year whether she would consider returning. It was difficult to turn down, but she ultimately felt the new story could move forward without Queen Clarisse.

“I think I’m retired, really, would be about the best description for that. [The film’s creative team] asked me all last year if I would be keen to do it. It was very very hard to say ‘no,’ but I did because 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.”

Julie also sees the story as belonging to Mia now. Speaking to TODAY in 2026, she confirmed immediately that she would not appear in the film and said the story has to continue with Princess Mia because “it’s her story.”

“I’m not going to be in it,” Julie 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. I think the story has to continue in Princess Mia. It’s her story. It’s not really mine.”

For anyone wondering how the franchise got here in the first place, The Princess Diaries is an adaptation of the Meg Cabot book series, which follows Mia Thermopolis, an ordinary San Francisco teenager who discovers that she is actually the heir to the throne of Genovia. Clarisse arrives to teach her granddaughter how to navigate royal duties, public appearances, etiquette, and the general chaos of becoming a princess overnight.

The 2001 film, directed by the late Garry Marshall, became a defining early role for Anne. Its 2004 sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, picked up with Mia preparing to inherit the Genovian throne while facing pressure to marry.

Julie’s on-screen career has looked quite different since then. After starring in legendary films like The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins since the '60s, she has largely stepped away from live-action acting in recent years, though she has continued to take on voice and narration work. According to Variety, her recent credits include voice roles in Minions: The Rise of Gru, The King’s Daughter, and Aquaman, as well as Netflix’s Bridgerton, where she narrates the series as the famously unseen Lady Whistledown.

That role suits her current routine particularly well: Julie told InStyle that she can record her Bridgerton lines from home, adding that she does the work partly “to keep my brain alive.”

The third Princess Diaries movie was officially announced in 2024, with Anne confirmed to return as Mia, now Queen of Genovia. Adele Lim, who co-wrote Crazy Rich Asians and directed Joy Ride, is attached to direct. Debra Martin Chase, a producer on the original movies, is also returning as a producer.

There is one catch: there still isn’t a release date. Anne recently gave an update during an appearance on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy. The actress said that her pregnancy has made it difficult to know exactly when she can make the movie, but she also revealed that the script had undergone a major change.

“I think we had a story breakthrough,” Anne said. The team ultimately had to start over with the script after moving in a new direction, though she said everyone involved feels good about the latest version.

The Princess Diaries author Meg Cabot has also been enthusiastic about the project. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, she revealed that she had read a recent version of the script.

“It has been in discussions for a really long time. There have been a lot of scripts, and I think this one that I most recently read is my favorite. Fingers crossed that’s the one they’re going to use, but it’s a really fun idea, and I’m 100 percent behind it.”

Adele, meanwhile, told Variety in May that the production and shooting schedule were still being worked out.

So while Princess Diaries 3 is definitely happening, fans may have to wait a little longer before Mia makes her return to Genovia.