“Princess Diaries” Author Meg Cabot Reveals Major Change She Greenlit to Get Julie Andrews Onboard for the Film

Meg Cabot, the author behind the beloved *Princess Diaries* series, recently attended an event at The Next Chapter bookstore in Huntington, New York, to celebrate the release of the graphic novel edition of her books. During the event, she shed light on several interesting divergences between her original novels and their cinematic adaptations, particularly regarding the character of Mia Thermopolis’s father.

The first book in the series, published in May 2000, was quickly followed by the film adaptation released in 2001. The plot revolves around Mia, an ordinary teenager who discovers she is the heir to the throne of a small European nation. However, when adapting the storyline for the screen, Disney made some notable changes, especially concerning Mia’s family dynamics.

Cabot explained that many readers often inquire why Mia’s father is alive in the books while he is absent in the films. Disney’s traditional narrative pattern, where parental figures often meet unfortunate fates, raised concerns for Cabot. “They told me, ‘M, we’re going to have to kill the dad,’” she recalled, emphasising that this trend is prevalent in many Disney stories. Initially resistant, Cabot questioned the reasoning behind this decision. “What did he do? This is really harsh,” she remarked, highlighting that the character was inspired by her own father, who had passed away.

Further complicating matters was the casting of the film’s grandmother role. Cabot recalled being told that Disney wanted to cast a particular actress who had not appeared in films for some time. Upon learning that the actress was the legendary Julie Andrews, Cabot conceded, “Kill the dad,” and laughed, acknowledging the irony of the situation given that she had such strong personal ties to the character.

The backstory of Mia’s father became a point of intrigue during filming. Cabot explained that the scene included Mia’s dad, portrayed by Anne Hathaway’s own father, Gerald “Jerry” Hathaway. Unbeknownst to him, his character was doomed from the start, as he had only been entrusted with a portion of the script. Upon discovering the fate of his character, he reached out to Cabot, saying, “Meg, I’m dead. You’ve got to do something.” Cabot’s reply, however, was light-hearted, pointing out the film’s focus on Andrews, and reaffirming the decision to alter Mia’s family narrative for cinematic purposes.

The first *Princess Diaries* film marked a significant milestone for Anne Hathaway, propelling her into the Hollywood spotlight. The sequel, *The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement*, was released in 2004 and retained much of the original cast, including Andrews as Mia’s iconic grandmother. This continuity helped cement the series’ enduring popularity among fans.

Recently, Hathaway provided an update on the highly anticipated third instalment of the *Princess Diaries* franchise during a candid interview on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy. She expressed optimism, stating, “I think we had a story breakthrough. I think we are moving in the right direction.” Although this news is encouraging for fans, Hathaway acknowledged that a completely new direction for the script was necessary, prompting the team to essentially start from scratch.

However, the actress made it clear that no release date or filming schedule has been established yet. Currently, she is expecting her third child with husband Adam Shulman, which has understandably shifted her priorities. “I’m busy making baby number three, and that has sort of taken the place of knowing when exactly I can make *Princess Diaries 3*,” she shared, bringing a personal touch to her professional updates.

The beloved *Princess Diaries* series continues to capture the hearts of both readers and viewers, bridging the gap between the original novels and their film adaptations. With Cabot’s insights into the creative processes behind the adaptations and Hathaway’s ongoing commitment to the franchise, anticipation for the third film remains high among fans eager to see how Mia’s story will unfold next.