The Princess Diaries

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2:09

The Princess Diaries

G

2001

1h 55m

Kids & Family

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

49%

Tomatometer

117 Reviews

68%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Shy San Francisco teenager Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is thrown for a loop when, from out of the blue, she learns the astonishing news that she's a real-life princess! As the heir apparent to the crown of the small European principality of Genovia, Mia begins a comical journey toward the throne when her strict and formidable grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews), shows up to give her "princess lessons."

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Critics Consensus

A charming, if familiar, makeover movie for young teenage girls.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

12/28/2010

5/5

Terrific fun for girls and their families, too.

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Anna Smith

Empire Magazine

12/30/2006

2/5

A light, uneven Pygmalion story that may win young girls over with its wish fulfilment theme and teen movie staples, but does not live up to the expectations created by the cast and director.

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Derek Adams

Time Out

02/09/2006

Notions of responsibility, surrogacy, rites of passage and the value of friendship are gone through, but the highlighting of modern tropes merely serves to emphasise the film's conventionality.

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Dan DiNicola

The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY)

04/30/2024

B-

The Princess Diaries is as sappy as they come, a Pygmalion story told in Pollyanna terms. But sometimes sappy works, and this is one of those times.

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Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

08/03/2021

5/5

To say that both Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews are absolute perfection in The Princess Diaries would not be an understatement.

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Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

11/14/2019

Do Queen Clarisse and Joe succeed with their fair lady? Does Mia accept her destiny? Does she get her Prince Charming? Come on! This is Hollywood. This is Garry Marshall. This is a fairytale. This is once-upon-a-time. This is as good as it gets.

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Mickey B.

@Mickerdoo Feb 16

Watched with my wife and two daughters for the first time. Chuckled at some of the humor. Nice debut for Hathaway.

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TheMovieSearch R

@TheMovieSearch Dec 26

Anne Hathaway shines in The Princess Diaries, delivering a charming, relatable performance as Mia, an awkward teen discovering her royal heritage. The film’s heart lies in her journey of self-acceptance, confidence, and learning to embrace responsibility rather than simply in her makeover. Julie Andrews is perfect as Queen Clarisse, blending warmth and wit, and her chemistry with Hathaway elevates the story. The supporting cast, school setting, and San Francisco backdrop create a fun, grounded world, balancing fairy-tale whimsy with realism. While predictable in parts and with minor screenplay flaws, the film remains engaging, funny, and empowering. Its combination of humor, heartfelt moments, and Hathaway’s captivating performance makes it an enduring, rewatchable Disney classic that celebrates personal growth, friendship, and self-discovery.

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Freya L

@RT33909553 Oct 29

Feel good movie I love to rewatch from time to time. The movies following this one are good as well. I love Anne Hathaway!

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jul 11

Funny in 1 hour and 55 minutes.

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W. W

@Twinz1008 May 27

A charming, feel-good classic that still holds up. Anne Hathaway is effortlessly relatable, and Julie Andrews brings so much elegance to the screen. Mandy Moore is a standout as the high school mean girl—perfectly cast with just the right mix of sass and early-2000s pop flair. It’s light, fun, and has just enough heart to make it worth revisiting—even if some parts feel a bit dated now. Great for when you want something easy and uplifting.

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thiago s

@Thiagostone May 23

Filme bacaninha, o roteiro é mais ou menos, as cenas são bacaninhas, a história é mais ou menos, o elenco é mais ou menos, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes.

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Garry Marshall

Director

Julie Andrews

Queen Clarisse Renaldi

Anne Hathaway

Mia Thermopolis

Héctor Elizondo

Joe

Heather Matarazzo

Lilly Moscovitz

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The Princess Diaries: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Shy San Francisco teenager Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is thrown for a loop when, from out of the blue, she learns the astonishing news that she's a real-life princess! As the heir apparent to the crown of the small European principality of Genovia, Mia begins a comical journey toward the throne when her strict and formidable grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews), shows up to give her "princess lessons."

Director: Garry Marshall
Producer: Debra Chase, Whitney Houston, Mario Iscovich
Screenwriter: Meg Cabot, Gina Wendkos
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Production Co: BrownHouse Productions, Bottom of the Ninth Productions Inc.
Rating: G
Genre: Kids & Family, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 3, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 27, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $108.2M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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