Everything We Know About ‘The Princess Diaries 3’
Grab your crowns and start packing for a trip to Genovia because The Princess Diaries 3 is in the works.
The years are 2001 and 2004. You grab your favorite tiara, throw on your most regal dress, and sit in front of the TV as Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews make their appearances. Before there was Andy Sachs from The Devil Wears Prada or Lady Whistledown from Bridgerton, there was Mia Thermopolis and Queen Clarisse Renaldi from The Princess Diaries. A staple of early 2000s television, The Princess Diaries remains as a classic watch.
The story follows a shy young teen from San Francisco who learns from her distanced grandmother that her late father was the heir to the throne of a small country called Genovia, and she now must go and take her place as the rightful ruler. Both the first and second films were a total success, and fans eagerly awaited for a third film to drop, though it never came. After nearly 18 years since the release of The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, all hope of a third film may not be lost since there is talk of The Princess Diaries 3 in the works. As you brush the dust off your tiara and start looking for flights to Genovia, here is what we know so far about the movie.
Has production started?
Per The Hollywood Reporter, it has been stated that The Princess Diaries 3 is currently in its writing stages. While no filming has begun, producer Debra Martin Chase, who produced the other Princess Diaries movies, is set to return to the project. Screenwriters Aadrita Mukerji and Melissa Stack are also confirmed to be a part of the film.
A Princess Diaries 3 has been in the talks for years, a sentiment stated by the filmmaker himself, Garry Marshall, in a 2016 interview with People.
“I was with Anne Hathaway a couple weeks ago, it looks like we want to do Princess Diaries 3 in Manhattan,” Marshall told People. “Anne Hathaway is very pregnant, so we have to wait until she has the baby and then I think we’re going to do it.”
Unfortunately, Marshall’s plans never came through as he passed later that year, but it looks like his vision for a third installment is finally about to be honored.
In October 2024, filmmaker Adele Lim was confirmed to have signed onto the long awaited third installment of the ‘Princess Diaries’ franchise, marking her return to the network following Raya and the Last Dragon in 2021. In a statement to Deadline, the Crazy Rich Asians writer said in part, “As a diehard 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 tenants of female power, joy and mentorship with audiences worldwide.”
Who is in the cast?
Following the news of Lim as the director, Anne Hathaway took to her TikTok later that day to formally confirm she’d be reprising her role in the third installment of the franchise in a nostalgia filled video.
Other actors that have stated in the past that they’d be down for a return cameo include Chris Pine, Heather Matarazzo, and Mandy Moore. The latter had recently told US Weekly that while she doubts her role as Lana would be included, she would be down to reprise her character if she was asked to.
“I wasn’t a part of the second movie. I would find it hard to believe that my character would ever come back for a third film,” Moore told US Weekly. “I would totally be down because I had so much fun being a part of the first one. But yeah, I find it hard to wrap my head around the idea that Lana, unless she sort of turned her life around, I would not expect her to be a part of that story. I will watch it regardless!”
During his press tour for The Kidnapping of Arabella, Chris Pine has coyly teased and danced around his potential return for the threequel in interviews for Good Morning America and the Tonight Show. While his involvement remains in the absence of a formal confirmation, that hasn’t stopped speculation and anticipation for his return for fans of the trilogy.
What’s the plot?
Since the movie is only in its writing stage, there’s no telling what the plot will be. Last The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement left off, Princess Mia had just successfully abolished the law requiring royal marriages and was crowned as Queen of Genovia. With such a significant time gap, we may get to see what Queen Mia has been up to through the years—or we may meet a whole new heir sitting on the throne.
When is the release date?
Due to the film being in such an early stage, there is no current set release date. As eager as we want this movie to drop, we’ve already waited 20 years—what’s a couple more?
