"The year was 2001, and I was suddenly asking my grandmother a lot of questions about whether or not our family might be royalty. This was not because of any real facts I uncovered, but because I had just watched the Disney movie The Princess Diaries. My grandmother assured me there were no family secrets of the sort, but the dreamer in me wondered what it might be like to be Princess Mia of Genovia. When The Princess Diaries hit theaters, it launched Anne Hathaway into teen star status. The movie was so successful that I only had to wait a mere three years later for the sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. Both of these films center around Princess Mia as she struggles to take on a new life as a royal.
I remember adoring The Princess Diaries movies when they came out. They made me feel like a surprising, bolder life was around the corner for me as I approached adulthood. But are they just as inspiring two decades later? I decided to rewatch both films to find out. Here’s what has changed for me since I first watched them:
The creators of The Princess Diaries are super cool
Back in 2001, I wasn’t paying much attention to the credits, but now that I basically live on IMDb, I had to pause The Princess Diaries 2 the moment I saw that Shonda Rhimes wrote the screenplay. That’s right, Shonda Rhimes of such iconic series like Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and, of course, Bridgerton. This was when I realized that Shonda Rhimes and Julie Andrews have worked together a few times—Andrews also plays Queen Clarisse Renaldi in The Princess Diaries, and she voices Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton. In fact, when TIME named Rhimes one of the most influential people of 2021, Julie Andrews wrote the introduction.
You might also remember the hilarious Vice Principal in The Princess Diaries played by Sandra Oh, who went on to star in Grey’s Anatomy under Rhimes’ leadership. I also learned that Debra Chase Martin and the iconic Whitney Houston produced The Princess Diaries movies. The two later teamed up to produce The Cheetah Girls (another early 2000s classic), and Chase produced both of the The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants movies. I could go on nerding out about all of these connections, but basically, we have these incredible women to thank for some of the best movies in the early 2000s. Learning about the lives of the behind-the-scenes creators is now even more inspiring to me than watching the characters on the screen.
The makeover plot is kind of problematic
Before discovering she’s a princess, Mia mentions a few times that she feels invisible. There’s even a moment in the movie when another student accidentally sits on her because they didn’t see her. Fast forward a few scenes, and Queen Clarisse vows she’ll help Mia learn how to be a princess. A makeover scene ensues, and in typical ’90s and 2000s fashion, consists of Mia taking off her glasses, getting an eyebrow tweeze, straightening her hair, and wearing heels instead of loafers. The makeover is very similar to the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada, also starring Hathaway. In the early 2000s makeover scene, it’s practically a requirement that the assumed “unattractive” character changes their appearance in exchange for popularity.
I used to think that makeover scenes like Mia’s were charming and fun. Now, it’s easy to see how those scenes sent a message to young girls like me that we should change how we look in order to fit in. As an adult, I’ve learned that looking my best also means accepting and valuing the person I am. Because of these conflicting feelings, the makeover scene wasn’t my favorite part of the first movie anymore. Instead, my favorite moments were when Mia spoke to an audience from her heart, despite her fear of public speaking. Watching Mia conquer the fear and find her voice by the end of the second movie is way more satisfying than any makeover could ever be.
Julie Andrews’ career is unmatched
If you’re a Julie Andrews fan, you probably already know this: Andrews’ over 70-year-long career is legendary. She was the lead in Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music by the time she was 30 and went on to have a steady career into the 2000s. I really didn’t grasp the longevity of Julie Andrews’ career when I first watched The Princess Diaries movies. But now, the minute Andrews enters the screen, I see there’s something magical about her. I took for granted the power and grace she radiated back when the movies first came out. As I get older, watching Julie Andrews own her space at every age is inspiring. While as a younger kid, I thought she was a very cool queen and grandmother, now I think she’s real-life royalty.
The Princess Diaries is about friendship, not romance
In this rewatch, I was way more observant of the friendships than the romantic relationships. In fact, romance now feels like an afterthought in The Princess Diaries. Lilly, played by Heather Matarazzo, is Mia’s best friend. Their friendship goes through a rollercoaster in the first movie when Mia discovers her royal status—as Mia’s life changes, Lilly feels left behind. Lilly goes through all the jealousy and hurt one might feel when your friend is suddenly royal, especially when Mia doesn’t show up to support her.
As an adult, Mia and Lilly made me think about how important perceived status can be in friendships. We often make friends or frenemies by bonding over the same insecurities. But when one friend unexpectedly gets attention, it’s hard to reconcile that change in a friendship built on a shared status as outsiders. This is true not only in high school but also in adults. I loved that we saw Mia and Lilly go through this inevitable test of friendship and eventually support each other again.
The Princess Diaries 2 is more empowering
While the first movie was my fav back in the day, the second movie kept me more interested this time around. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement revolves around the antiquated Genovian rule that no queen can rule unless she’s married. Mia is supposed to take the throne on her 21st birthday but must marry first. The Queen rightfully points out that a man would never have to endure the same scrutiny as Mia does. Enter Chris Pine, who plays a charming and arrogant character named Nicholas Devereux. Nicholas’ uncle believes Nicholas should rightfully take the throne of Genovia instead of Mia. On top of this, Mia and Nicholas start to fall for each other.
Frankly, I had forgotten most of these plot points from the second movie, so the rewatch was like watching it for the first time. I was surprised by how much I related to the themes as an adult. Mia struggles with balancing her romantic life with her career, which is constantly on my radar as I get older. I found myself rooting for Mia to take on parliament and overturn the ridiculous marriage rule, which she eventually did. Much like many of the scripts Shonda Rhimes would later write, including Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, using new time periods and fictional worlds to explore these topics of power, love, and equality is a surefire way to keep my eyes glued to the screen.
The Princess Diaries is a coming-of-age story
Was I still inspired by The Princess Diaries movies as an adult? Yes, but not in the same way. When I first saw The Princess Diaries, I was focused on what it would be like to suddenly be told you’re royalty. But now that I’m older, I see the movie is about a young woman realizing her own potential and power. Mia is learning to trust herself, which is a perfectly normal part of growing up. The inspiration I took from this rewatch is that taking chances is way more satisfying than wondering what might have been. After all, these delightful movies might not have ever been made had it not been for the creators who took a chance on them.
Michelle Lema, Contributing Entertainment Writer
Michelle is a Los Angeles-based Entertainment writer at The Everygirl, covering all the latest entertainment stories with a special talent for nostalgic rewatches and zodiac signs. She has worked in editorial and on-camera entertainment coverage with brands like Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars.