The Princess Diaries and its sequel The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement belong to the golden age of romantic comedies.

The original movie centred around Mia, a regular American girl who discovers she’s next-in-line to the throne of a fictional European land. The heart-warming sequel debuted in 2004, as romcoms such as 13 Going On 30, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and A Cinderella Story were ruling the box office.

Directed by Gary Marshall, the legend behind Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride and seasonal staples such as Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Day, the franchise belongs to an era when the romcom genre skyrocketed the careers of young actors such as Hathaway, who broke through to Hollywood stardom via the first instalment. 

The Princess Diaries 2 picks up the story five years on: Mia has graduated and moved out to Genovia, to prepare to become Queen Clarisse’s (Julie Andrews) successor.

There’s just one minor fly in the ointment: a mysterious man she flirts with at a ball, Nicholas (Chris Pine), just happens to be the next male heir to the throne of Genovia… 

In sexist, Pride and Prejudice-esque rules, Genovia won’t let an unmarried women become Queen, so Mia is left with two options: conduct a The Bachelorette-style process and hold auditions for a husband, or abdicate and return to San Francisco. 

Though it received mixed reactions from critics, the sequel delivered a strong revenue at the box office, grossing $134 million on a $45 million budget.

Delicately balancing the romance, the coming-of-age themes and the slapstick humour the series was known for (Hathaway’s beautifully expressive face reacted hilariously in setpieces where she accidentally fell off benches), the movie was also an empowering feminist statement. Mia refuses to abide by historical laws, dragging her male-only parliament into the 21st century by convincing them she can remain unmarried and still become Queen, without losing any credibility as a ruler for not having a man by her side. She tells them: “Think about your daughters, your nieces and sisters and granddaughters, and ask yourselves: would you force them to do what you’re trying to make me do?”

Similarly to Pretty Woman, it re-wrote the narrative about women’s autonomy, asserting that their happiness, power and future lay outside that of a man. That Mia ended up with the charming Nicholas as the credits rolled was just a bonus, of course. 

The movie holds a place in our hearts for exploring a very relatable female coming-of-age story, balancing the iconic meme-fuel (that flaming arrow; the fountain kiss) with a narrative that shows Mia discovering more about herself and growing in confidence via mistakes she makes along the way. 

Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries books told Stylist: “There are so many reasons why these films hit a particular chord with so many people, especially young women, at that particular time. These films were made before smartphones and the internet became such a ubiquitous part of our lives (and occasionally a source of stress), and no one in any of these films uses anything remotely like modern technology. The plots are relatively relatable but also low angst – will her team win the game/contest (Bring It On/Bend It Like Beckham)? Will she accept the crown and still find love and acceptance (Princess Diaries 1 and 2)? Will she get the guy and the big promotion (every other rom-com ever made)?”

These 00’s romcoms are romanticised as a simpler time, as quite simply it was a simpler time. It also offered some light relief from the political state of the world that was happening outside of these female-led stories, including the treatment of women, which has even led Cabot’s books to be banned in certain countries and her to receive hate mail for writing Mia’s mother as a woman who isn’t in search of a man.

Dr Sarah Louise Smyth, Film Lecturer at the University of Essex, adds: “The Princess Diaries endures because it captures many complexities of social life experienced by young women and girls: what if I don’t fit in at school, with friends or with my family? What is my place or my path in this world? When responsibility – or adulthood – is thrust upon me, will I be able to step up to it? In this way, it’s a classic coming-of-age story.”

The creative team behind the movie was impressive. Long before Shonda Rhimes had us enthralled by Bridgerton, she penned the screenplay for The Princess Diaries 2 (informed by Meg Calbot’s best-selling series of novels, the franchise’s source text), while Whitney Houston served as an executive producer. The soundtrack, meanwhile, wove anthems like Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Breakaway’ and ‘Miracles Happen’ by Myra into the story.

“Romcoms from the 90s and 00s remain cherished by and unrivalled for millennial and gen z women because this was one of the only genres of the time that took women’s concerns and a feminine sensibility seriously. Almost all other films in this period – particularly those watched by young audiences – centred on male characters,” Smyth says. 

“These romcoms focused on heteronormative romance, yes, but they also examined a woman’s emotional life, her friendships, her career, her family, even if sometimes this is tangential to the romance plotline. 

“Other genres rarely did this. Mainstream cinema has become more inclusive of female characters across genres, but, since this was a formative period for millennials and gen z (and fewer romcoms are funded or made today), these films stuck.”

The film has since found a whole new audience through TikTok, as Paolo’s hair transformations make excellent sound bites for transitions, especially for brides.

Mia also paved the way for the string of royal-led, festive-themed, sickly-sweet romantic comedies Netflix has latterly churned out, such as The Princess Switch and A Christmas Prince, while the secret or would-be princess romcom has enjoyed a resurgence, building on the success of The Princess Diaries and A Cinderella Story. 

The nostalgia economy continues to thrive, especially when it capitalises on our teenage lives, as Hathaway has confirmed that a third film is in development. 

The Princess Diaries retains its timeless appeal. Need proof? Tell me you can’t hum the theme song of the fictional land it is set in. I know you still know it… 

Images: Disney/IMDB, Buena Vista Pictures, Getty