Miracles Happen! Everything to Know About “The Princess Diaries 3”
Miracles Happen! Everything to Know About “The Princess Diaries 3”
Zoe Kaplan, Samantha StutsmanWed, August 5, 2026 at 12:30 PM UTC
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Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway in ‘The Princess Diaries’.Credit: Alamy -
The Princess Diaries celebrated its 25th anniversary on Aug. 3, 2026
Two years earlier, The Princess Diaries 3 was officially announced
Anne Hathaway is the only cast member confirmed
Miracles happen! The Princess Diaries 3 is officially in the works.
The beloved franchise began with the 2001 film, which followed Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) as she discovered she was the heir to the throne of the fictional kingdom of Genovia under the guidance of her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews). The 2004 sequel saw Mia prepare to become queen and also introduced Chris Pine in one of his earliest film roles.
Nearly 25 years after The Princess Diaries first premiered, Hathaway confirmed in October 2024 that a third installment was officially in development. More recently, however, she gave fans a less exciting update, revealing on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy in July 2026 that the original script had been scrapped, but said the project is now “moving in the right direction.”
Hathaway is the only cast member officially confirmed to return so far, but several of her former costars have said they’d happily reprise their roles if the opportunity arises.
From who else could join Hathaway on-screen to who is sitting in the director’s chair, here’s everything we know so far about The Princess Diaries 3.
How did The Princess Diaries 2 end?
‘The Princess Diaries 2’Credit: Entertainment Pictures / Alamy Stock Photo
A smash hit with fans upon its release in 2004, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement follows Mia (Hathaway) five years after the events of the first film. When Mia arrives in Genovia to celebrate her 21st birthday, it’s revealed that she needs to be married within a month of her birthday or she will not be crowned queen upon her grandmother’s upcoming abdication of the throne.
As Mia quickly tries to find a suitable husband, she develops a romance with the charming Nicholas Devereaux (Pine), though it’s revealed that Nicholas’ uncle is scheming to have him crowned king instead. Nicholas, having fallen in love with Mia, rejects the crown. Mia makes a rousing speech that convinces the parliament to allow her to rule as an unmarried woman and is finally crowned queen of Genovia.
What has Anne Hathaway said about The Princess Diaries 3?
Anne Hathaway in February 2024Credit: Monica Schipper/Getty Images
Even before the third film was confirmed, Hathaway expressed her eagerness to revisit the iconic franchise. Speaking to Vanity Fair in March 2024, she called The Princess Diaries “the film that changed my life.”
She previously told PEOPLE in 2023 that it was “thrilling” to “see the level of excitement for a third film.” While she admitted that the 20-year wait could be “frustrating,” she clarified that it was a normal part of the moviemaking business. “It’s a process that requires patience ... this is how long it actually takes to make things.”
On Oct. 5, 2024, Hathaway posted the official announcement of the third film on Instagram with the caption, “Miracles happen ✨👑 Back to Genovia with @adeleblim @disney @somewherepictures. The fairy tale continues ❤️🔥.”
Over the past two years, Hathaway has reassured fans that The Princess Diaries 3 is still in the works. However, filming is unlikely to begin anytime soon, as the actress is currently expecting her third child.
“I’m busy making baby number three, and that has sort of taken the place of knowing when exactly I can make Princess Diaries 3,” she told Andy Cohen in July 2026.
Will Julie Andrews appear in the third film?
Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway in ‘The Princess Diaries’Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock
Andrews’ thoughts on returning as Queen Clarisse Renaldi have varied over the years, and it is not confirmed if she will return for the upcoming movie.
In April 2020, Andrews was wary but ready for a third film. “I think I would. I’m getting awfully old and crotchety. I’m not sure if it’s the right timing, but I think to work with Annie would be lovely again,” she shared on The Talk @ Home.
However, in 2024, Andrews told Today, “It’s quite a long time now since the two Diaries were done, and I’m not sure, but sometimes it’s best to leave a good thing alone. I don’t like it when people milk and milk and milk the subject, you know, ‘til it’s dead.”
“I’d be very happy if we did do another one,” the British actress added.
What has Chris Pine said about returning as Nicholas Devereaux?
Anne Hathaway and Chris Pine in ‘The Princess Diaries 2’Credit: Walt Disney/Buena Vista/Shutterstock
With Hathaway as the only confirmed cast member so far, fans are hoping that Pine will reprise his role as the handsome Nicholas Devereaux, Mia’s love interest from the second film — and it seems like Pine is hoping to return as well.
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Before the announcement, Pine told Entertainment Weekly in May 2024, “Princess Diaries 3, where is it? Have you been reading my diary? I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything about it.”
And when asked by Entertainment Tonight a year earlier if he would return, Pine shared, “Yeah, I’m here! I’m here for it. Give me — give me a phone call or an email.”
What have other cast members said about returning?
Sandra Oh in 2024; Mandy Moore in 2024Credit: Robin L Marshall/Getty Images; John Nacion/Getty Images
The Princess Diaries started the careers of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. When asked about returning as the high school’s Vice Principal Gupta, Grey’s Anatomy and Killing Eve star Sandra Oh is definitely in. “Yeah, that would be hilarious. Are you kidding? Sure. Yeah,” Oh told PEOPLE in May 2024.
Singer-actress Mandy Moore, who starred as mean girl Lana, also has fond memories of her time on the first film, telling InStyle that it was a “remarkable experience.”
“I kind of feel like my character was sort of the nemesis to Anne Hathaway’s character in the first film, and she was so mean, I feel like maybe there’s no place for her [in a third film],” she shared during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. “I would love, love, love to join those ladies again, anytime, but I also understand if there’s no room for my awful character.”
As for Robert Schwartzman — who played Mia’s love interest in the first film, Michael Moscovitz — he isn’t opposed to re-joining the franchise.
“For me, I’m just in standing-by mode waiting to see what the filmmakers want to do with this next chapter,” the actor told PEOPLE in October 2025. “If they want to bring Michael back to be a part of the journey of the characters, I’m obviously happy to support the efforts of the filmmakers.”
What is The Princess Diaries 3 about?
Julie Andrews, Hector Elizondo and Anne Hathaway in ‘The Princess Diaries’Credit: Maximum Film/Alamy
In 2016, the director of the first two films, Garry Marshall, told PEOPLE that he and Hathaway had been in touch and discussing potential plot ideas.
“I was with Anne Hathaway a couple weeks ago; it looks like we want to do Princess Diaries 3 in Manhattan,” he said.
However, Marshall died later that year. His daughter, Kathleen, who played Charlotte Kutaway in both films, is now involved with helping move the project forward.
According to Deadline, Flora Greeson, the writer behind The High Note, which starred Dakota Johnson and Tracee Ellis Ross, is writing the screenplay for The Princess Diaries 3. However, no plot details have been revealed.
Meg Cabot, whose best-selling book series inspired the film franchise, revealed in June 2026 that she has read several scripts for The Princess Diaries 3, but the latest version was her top pick.
“There have been a lot of scripts, and I think this one that I most recently read is my favorite,” the author told The Hollywood Reporter. “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.”
Who is directing The Princess Diaries 3?
Adele Lim in May 2024Credit: Monica Schipper/Getty Images
With credits for films like Joy Ride, Crazy Rich Asians and Raya and the Last Dragon, director Adele Lim has been hired to carry on Marshall’s legacy in the third film.
“As a die-hard fan of the original Princess Diaries, I’m beyond excited to be a part of bringing the third iteration of this beloved franchise to life. We look forward to celebrating its core tenets of female power, joy and mentorship with audiences worldwide,” Lim said in a statement.
Much of the cast has expressed fond memories of working with Marshall, who directed the previous Princess Diaries films before he died in 2016.
“I was so generously invited into that process by Garry Marshall; he valued my take on being a teenage girl and elevated me to such a valued status on set that it never occurred to me on other sets that I didn’t have that same autonomy, or that same ability to collaborate,” Hathaway told V Magazine in April 2024.
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