Anne Hathaway isn’t ready to close the palace doors on Julie Andrews just yet.
While promoting The Princess Diaries 3at D23, Hathaway admitted she “did push really hard” to bring Andrews back as Queen Clarisse Renaldi — but says the decision ultimately belongs to the legendary actress.
“First of all, I just want to say if she has a change of heart, we’re down,” Hathaway told Entertainment Tonight.
“Just anything, really. But we also want to be respectful. Like, for goodness sakes, if anybody has contributed to the world of entertainment and to our collective joy, it’s her. Whatever she wants, we completely understand.”
Andrews, however, recently suggested she’s ready to leave Queen Clarisse in the royal archives.
“I think the absolute truth is that I think I’m really past all that now,” Andrews told The Hollywood Reporter.
“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.”
Hathaway is still focused on making the third movie worth the wait. She wants longtime fans — many of whom are now parents themselves — to experience the sequel with their own children.
“I want the women who were six when the first one came out — a lot of whom are now mothers themselves, maybe even with six-year-olds — I want them to feel like they’re bringing their children to something that mattered to them, a core memory for them, something that was a part of their heart and their lives,” she said.
The film will continue Mia Thermopolis’ Genovian story, with Adele Lim directing and Flora Greeson writing the screenplay.
As for Andrews? The crown may still be waiting, just in case she changes her mind.
2026-08-19 08:46:00
