Anne Hathaway took the stage at D23 2026 to confirm that work on The Princess Diaries 3 is moving steadily ahead.
The Princess of Genovia herself confirmed the news during this year’s show. Progress is slow going for now, but it sounds like she and the rest of the team behind the long-awaited sequel have a good reason for making fans wait.
“Being part of the Disney family also means being part of a legacy studio that deeply values the family audience it makes content for,” Hathaway said. “It’s why we are working so hard to get The Princess Diaries 3 right. Thanks for your patience.”
It’s been 22 years since The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement came to theaters. That means the wait for more has been especially brutal, though it’s not been without its updates.
Hathaway previously confirmed plans to return to Genovia as Queen Mia Thermopolis back in 2024. While the late Garry Marshall was responsible for directing the first two films, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Crazy Rich Asians’ Adele Lim had stepped in to direct the upcoming third film.
Author Meg Cabot told the site earlier this summer that she had already read a script for The Princess Diaries 3. It’s unclear just how far along it is, but it’s at least something she’s happy with so far.
“I read a script, and it was amazing,” Cabot said. “I told them not to send anymore, because I love it so much. They don’t like it when you tell people what’s gonna happen yet. So I was like, ‘Better not send me any more scripts!'”
Julie Andrews, meanwhile, confirmed just earlier this week that she has no plans to return for the new movie. It’s unclear how the third film may handle her absence.
“I think the absolute truth is that I think I’m really past all that now,” she 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.”
While we wait to hear more about Hathaway’s involvement in The Princess Diaries 3, you can read IGN’s reviews for two of her recent films: The Odyssey and The End of Oak Street. You can also catch up on all of the other big D23 announcements from tonight’s event here.
Photo by Brianna Bryson/WireImage.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
