At the turn of the century, the lives of little girls everywhere were changed forever. A new heroine sparkled on screen; only she was a bushy-haired, awkward teenager wearing a school uniform just like the rest of us. The stuff of fictional miracles would then proceed to happen to her: her true birthright was that of royalty, and she had a makeover befitting a princess. Enter: Mia Thermopolis aka the Princess of Genovia. Based on the original books by Meg Cabot, Disney’s Princess Diaries films certainly had its hold on the zeitgeist upon release in the early ‘00s, concurrently propelling its main star and then new-face, Anne Hathaway, to stardom along with it. Two decades later, a sequel to the sequel has officially been confirmed by Hathaway herself.
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Shut up, a third film in the works? Indeed, Princess Diaries 3 is finally getting the royal treatment it deserves. Understandably, the revival of such a storied franchise cannot be done without all its accompanying components, from its legacy-leaving cast to gratifying tributes to all of the original’s most iconic moments. Whilst Hathaway’s return is no doubt a huge slice of the pie, we can’t help but wonder after all the remaining elements that made the Disney franchise what it was. Especially when the promise of a third film had been hinted at endlessly over the past 20 years, with the late director Gary Marshall speaking of its potential production in 2016, before plans were shelved again after his passing.
Whilst the recent announcement of the third film came in tandem with news of the continued production work of Debra Martin Chase (who worked on the first two films) and confirmation of Adele Lim—the director of zany flick Joy Ride—at its helm, the rest of the film remains very much in the air. And for a film that held the hopes and aspirations of so much of our collective childhoods, we’d be lying if we said we didn’t at least harbour some expectations for the third instalment. By royal decree, here’s a wishlist of everything we’re dreaming of seeing in Princess Diaries 3. Some, maybe needing a bit more of that fairy tale magic to actually happen.
1 / 7
Another makeover montage
As far as memorable plot sequences go, the first thing most people remember from the Princess Diaries films is Mia’s iconic makeover scene. Shoved into a chair, Paolo gets to work on transforming Mia’s appearance—into one considered worthy of a princess of Genovia. There’s just something about a good makeover scene on screen, and the third film is the perfect opportunity to recreate it.
2 / 7
Queen Clarisse and Joe
The most heartening romance that brewed on screen in the Princess Diaries franchise? The one between Queen Clarisse and Joe. Whilst it may be difficult for Julie Andrews and Hector Elizondo to return to the screen, there’s nothing we wouldn’t give to see Clarisse and Joe growing old together, be it on the castle grounds of The Palace of Genovia, or a place they deem worthy of retirement.
3 / 7
Lilly’s role in Mia’s life
Lilly Moscovitz, your time for redemption is here. Whilst many may spew desires of Mandy Moore to reprise her role as mean girl Lana Thomas, it’s really Lilly whom we want to see grown up and redeemed in the third film. In truth, whilst she may have been Mia’s best friend, she was never really a good friend; often putting her own selfish desires before Mia’s. But there’s no doubt about the unbreakable bond between the pair, so we’re waiting on how Lilly’s role in Mia’s life has evolved. Hopefully, her character to gain a little wisdom over the years.
4 / 7
Spunky, young blood
Part of the franchise’s lasting appeal were the fresh faces it brought to the screen. Considering both Hathaway and Pine had the Disney films to owe their eventual silver screen success to, it’ll be a full circle moment to see some new blood in the mix. Maybe it could be Mia’s younger half-brother Trevor, whom her mother Helen Thermopolis had in the second film, or maybe Queen Mia’s spawned a few unruly children of her own.
5 / 7
Who is Mia's happily ever after?
She may have ascended to the throne at the end of Princess Diaries II: The Royal Engagement all on her own, but we know that at some point in time, she would have definitely chosen a king consort. The only question would be if the film takes the second film’s ending as its be-all and end-all and goes with Chris Pine’s Nicholas Devereaux as her final love interest…or will Michael Moscovitz come swinging back into her life? Considering Mia ends up with Michael in the original books, there’s no certainty on who eventually earns the ring on his finger.
6 / 7
Real changes to the monarch
Beyond makeover montages, first kisses and slumber parties, the Disney franchise was ahead of its time when it pushed for a female monarch. Like we said, Mia Thermopolis was a heroine in her own right, and it wasn’t simply because she could wear a tiara and become a princess. A strong sentiment of feminism underscored the entirety of the franchise, and it’ll be interesting to see how Queen Mia has impacted her monarchy for good.
7 / 7
The reign of Fat Louie
Practically speaking, it’ll be hard for Fat Louie to actually return to the screen in the third film—unless cats truly have nine lives. But who knows exactly when in the timeline we’ll be returning to? 20 years may have passed in our world, but over in Genovia, maybe Louie is on the receiving end of some royal vet care, and stretching his years to the fullest. Or maybe Louie had kids. Oh, one can dream.
