My Favorite: The Princess Diaries

WHO HASN'T WATCHED THIS MOVIE? It's been years and yet the name Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi still bring a smile to my face. The Princess Diaries is a 2001 comedy film directed by Garry Marshall. It is based on Meg Cabot's 2000 novel of the same name. The film stars Anne Hathaway (her film debut) as Mia Thermopolis, a teenager who discovers that she is the heir to the throne of the fictional Genovia, ruled by her grandmother, Queen dowager Clarisse Renaldi, who is portrayed by Julie Andrews. It also stars Heather Matarazzo as Mia's best friend Lilly Moscovitz, Héctor Elizondo as Renaldi's head of security, and Robert Schwartzman as Lilly's brother, who has a crush on Mia. The film was produced by singer and actress Whitney Houston.

Released on August 3, 2001, the film was an unexpected commercial success, grossing over $165 million worldwide. Despite earning mixed reviews for its plot and themes, Hathaway's performance was widely praised by film critics. Ranking among the most profitable films of 2001, The Princess Diaries defied industry expectations as pundits had expected the film to underperform due to its G-rating and subject matter. The film's success is credited with establishing Hathaway as a bankable actress and reviving Andrews' film career. A sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, was released in 2004 to similar success, while rumors of a possible third installment have persisted since 2015, and now rumors are getting even stronger.

Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is the average teenager - sweet, a little geeky, and pretty much invisible to everyone with the exception of her mother, best friend Lilly (Heather Matarazzo) and Lilly's older brother Michael (Robert Schwartzman). Making it through high school without throwing up is a challenge in itself for Mia, so it doesn't come as welcome news when her estranged grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Dame Julie Andrews), shows up out of the blue and calmly informs her that she is in fact the heir to the throne of a European country called Genovia. Suddenly Mia's life is thrown into complete overload. She's being taught about scarves, waves, and pears in order to become a perfect Princess, she gets a makeover and a tough looking, yet sweet bodyguard and limo driver called Joe (Hector Elizondo). Things get out of hand when the media gets a hold of the story and suddenly Mia is thrust into the spotlight in the newspapers and in school. On top of all of that, Mia has a choice to make. She must decide by Genovia's Independence Day Ball whether she longs to relinquish her claim on the throne or to become the Princess and heir to the throne her father, Philippe Renaldi (Rene Auberjonois), and grandmother want her to be.

The sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, was released on August 11, 2004, with Garry Marshall returning to direct and Debra Martin Chase to produce the sequel. Unlike the first film, it is not based on any of the books. Most of the cast returned for the sequel, including Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Héctor Elizondo, Heather Matarazzo, and Larry Miller. New cast and characters include Viscount Mabrey (John Rhys-Davies), Lord Nicholas Devereaux (Chris Pine), and Andrew Jacoby (Callum Blue).

Princess Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) has just turned twenty-one and is supposed to succeed her grandmother as the Queen of Genovia. But Viscount Mabrey (John Rhys-Davies), who wishes that his nephew who is also in line to the throne to be the new ruler, reminds everyone of a law that states that an unmarried woman can't be made Queen, and with the backing of Parliament, he opposes Mia's coronation. Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Dame Julie Andrews) asks that Mia be allowed time to find a husband, and she is given thirty days, but Mabrey tries to do what he can to stop that: his nephew, Nicholas Devereaux (Chris Pine) has met Mia and they are both attracted to each other, but Mia, upon learning who he is, dislikes and doesn't trust him, but Queen Clarisse has invited him to stay with them for the thirty day period to keep an eye on him.

Interested? Watch The Princess Diaries on Disney+!