Julie Andrews, 90, Felt Too Old for 'Princess Diaries 3': 'Wouldn’t Need Granny Going in There at My Age'

Julie Andrews, 90, admitted she felt "too old" to join the third The Princess Diaries movie.

Andrews played Queen Clarisse Renaldi in the hit 2001 comedy and its 2004 sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, alongside Anne Hathaway — however, the iconic star won't be part of the third film.

"This one I felt would flourish very well and wouldn’t need Granny going in there at my age,” she explained of her decision.

The actress explained that the film's creative team asked her multiple times last year to join the movie, which is being produced by Hathaway herself.

“I think I probably passed...I think I’m retired, really, would be about the best description for that," she told InStyle. "They asked me all last year if I would be keen to do it. It was very, very hard to say ‘no,’ but I did because I thought I had a wonderful ride."

Still, the Mary Poppins alum is confident that the project will "flourish very well" without her on the throne.

Andrews first confirmed the news to TODAY.com, noting the story was likely going in a different direction from the first two movies given that 20 years had already passed.

“I’m not going to be in it,” she confessed. "I think the story is slightly different, and I’m not quite sure how they’re dealing with that. But it’s too late for me to do it."

"I think the story has to continue in Princess Mia," she added of Hathaway's character. "It’s her story. It’s not really mine.”

The movie trilogy is based on Meg Cabot's book series by the same name and follows Princess Mia Thermopolis, whose life was turned upside down after she learns she has royal lineage.

Cabot told The Hollywood Reporter in July that she had already seen scripts for the highly anticipated new installment in the beloved film series.

"I have a problem keeping my mouth shut," she confessed. "I read a script, and it was amazing. I told them not to send anymore, because I love it so much."

Hathaway officially announced the revival on her Instagram in October 2024, writing, "The fairytale continues."

As Hathaway gears up to reprise her role, these days, Andrews prefers to keep herself out of the spotlight as she ages and struggles with arthritis.

She has returned to screens as the narrator of Netflix's hit Bridgerton series for all of its four seasons thus far. The actress even won an Emmy for her voiceover work on the period drama in 2025.

"I do it mostly to keep my brain alive," she said of her behind-the-scenes position.