The Princess Diaries Is One of My Ultimate Comfort Movies
aka: my Roman Empire, but with more tiaras
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First off, thank you so much for your kind comments on my last blog post.
You told me to write more movie reviews, so here we go!
The other night, I’m chatting with a friend and they casually drop this bombshell:
“I’ve never seen The Princess Diaries.”
I blinked. I paused. I may have audibly gasped.
Like, what??
No slumber parties?
No random Disney Channel afternoon viewing?
No sick day comfort watch?
I was honestly shook.
I was obsessed with the books growing up.
Elementary school me saw so much of myself in Mia: awkward, overthinking, constantly journaling, trying to survive school. Clumsy, but with a heart of gold.
So the movie?
Anne Hathaway was Mia.
Frizzy hair, socks with Doc Martens, slamming lockers. She nailed every painfully awkward, endearing second.
And Julie Andrews?? The queen. Literally.
She commands every scene with this regal yet cozy energy, like she might invite you in for tea right after delivering a life lesson that changes your entire worldview.
Also? Shoutout to some more characters.
Mandy Moore playing mean girl cheerleader Lana. The “Stupid Cupid” beach scene?
And of course,
“Lana got coned!”
Truly a moment in history.
Lilly, Mia’s opinionated best friend, is unforgettable. I love her quotes
“Hey wait up! Not you, I don’t even know you!”
Still hilarious.
But I have to say, the line where she tells Mia, “You’re not over your dad dying? It’s been two months,” …
like EXCUSE ME???
Unforgivable.
Also… can we talk about Jeremiah? The redheaded kid who does magic?
With this rewatch I was like wait he’s cute??
I never noticed that as a kid but now?? Yeah. I see it.
And shoutout to Paolo, the Italian stylist. Truly iconic.
Also, the principal? Played by none other than Sandra Oh, who brings so much personality to the role.
My siblings and I watched this movie a million times.
And just last week, my older brother randomly brought it up. That’s how deep this movie lives in our hearts.
Let’s talk about Joe.
Protective, mysterious limo driver slash therapist slash secret royal confidant??
I love him so much.
Especially when he tells Mia:
“Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
Yes, Joe!
Fun fact: Before my cousin Gaby’s wedding, all the bridesmaids and I had a Princess Diaries watch party.
It was so sweet and nostalgic.
Honestly? I might steal that idea when it’s my turn to get married. Or sooner.
I’m actually thinking of doing a Princess Diaries PJ party for my 27th birthday this year.
(Let me know if you want an invite.)
Now let’s talk about
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
An experience. A vibe. A sleepover dream:
Mattress surfing
Chris Pine
That chaotic, but adorable palace slumber party
More Julie Andrews doing her Julie Andrews thing
And shoutout to my buddy Abigail Breslin being adorable in the parade scene. (Love you, Abbie!)
That said… I missed Michael!!!
He was such a sweet, grungy, sincere first love.
And that moment at the end of the first movie?
Michael: “Why me?”
Mia: “Because you saw me when I was invisible.”
🥹 Cue all the feelings.
My dad always teases me about how many times I rewatch movies.
But here’s the cool part:
There’s actually a study that says people who rewatch movies tend to be more emotionally intelligent and grounded because we find comfort in familiarity.
Final thoughts:
If you haven’t seen The Princess Diaries, fix that.
And if you have?
Go watch it again. Let yourself feel all the soft nostalgia.
Because honestly, feeling nostalgic is good for the soul.
It reminds you where you come from, who you are, and that it’s ok to just feel all of it, the awkwardness, hope, softness, and joy.
No matter how old I get, this movie feels like home. 👑
Sometimes life gets chaotic and weird, and the world expects us to be polished and perfect and put together, but I think The Princess Diaries reminds us that it’s ok to be awkward, kind, a little lost and still completely worthy of being your own kind of royalty.
So go on. Grab some comfy socks, maybe some popcorn, and watch Mia figure it all out, one clumsy step at a time.
Trust me, your heart will thank you.
Stay quirky, stay kind, stay you. ❤️
xx,
Tallulah
P.S. Anne Hathaway recently confirmed that The Princess Diaries 3 is in the works (yayy!!) 👑🎬
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