Anne Hathaway Says Her Own Values Have Shaped Her Return as Mia in “The Princess Diaries 3” (Exclusive)
Anne Hathaway Says Her Own Values Have Shaped Her Return as Mia in “The Princess Diaries 3” (Exclusive)
Lily BrownMon, August 17, 2026 at 6:34 PM UTC
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Anne Hathaway speaks onstage at the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony on August 16, 2026Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty -
Anne Hathaway is reprising her role as Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries 3 after more than 20 years
Hathaway, now a mom of two and pregnant with her third child, says her values align with Mia’s evolution
The actress says the team is working hard to honor the legacy of the beloved franchise in the new film
Anne Hathaway is going back to Genovia for the third time — and she’s bringing a little more life experience with her.
The actress, 43, is set to reprise her beloved role as Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries 3, more than two decades after audiences first watched the awkward teenager discover that she was heir to the throne.
And while Hathaway isn’t giving away what the third movie has in store, she says there’s a meaningful connection between the woman she’s become and the princess she’s returning to play.
“Well, I can’t answer that without giving away some of the plot points we’re taking, but I’d say that Mia and I probably have very similar values,” Hathaway tells PEOPLE.
Anne Hathaway in ‘The Princess Diaries’Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock
Mia first appeared in the 2001 original as an ordinary, socially awkward San Francisco teenager whose life is turned upside down when she learns she’s actually a princess. With help from her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews), Mia gradually grows into her royal role while navigating school, friendship, romance and all the awkwardness that comes with being a teenager in the spotlight.
By the time audiences meet her again in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Mia is a young woman preparing to take the throne herself.
Now, Hathaway is returning to the character as the first film celebrates its 25th anniversary, and she sees some of her own growth reflected in Mia’s next chapter.
“I think that we want to see a world that’s full of equality and full of love,” she says of their shared values. “I think she wants love and I want her to have love.”
Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway in ‘The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement’Credit: Shutterstock
For Hathaway, stepping back into the Princess Diaries universe isn’t simply a trip down memory lane. The original film, directed by the late Garry Marshall, became a defining part of Hathaway’s career, one that she has carried with her for more than half her life.
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At the Disney Legends ceremony at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event on Sunday, Aug. 16, Hathaway reflected on just how much the franchise has meant to her and to the fans who have grown up alongside Mia.
“Throughout these films, we have grown up together. And I’m always so amazed at how deeply people have held these stories and these characters in their hearts,” she said.
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Hathaway also acknowledged just how much fans still love to quote the movies to her.
“I have come to love being told to shut up,” Hathaway said of her iconic line at a different D23 panel on Aug. 15. “So, maybe tonight you could help me out with that one? ‘Me, a princess, beg your pardon. Shut up.’ ”
At the event, Hathaway said the team is working hard to make sure the third installment lives up to the legacy of the first two films.
“Being a part of the Disney family also means being a part of a legacy studio that deeply values the family audiences it creates for,” she explained. “It’s why being here today means so much. It’s why we are working so hard to get Princess Diaries 3 right.”
Hathaway’s connection to the franchise also runs deep on a personal level. During her Disney Legends acceptance speech, she called herself “one of the most insanely lucky people in the world” and credited her parents as well as Marshall and Andrews for helping launch her career.
The Princess Diaries 3 is currently in production.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
