Books at the Box Office: Princess Diaries

Rarely do I get excited when a movie is vastly different than the book, but in the case of the Princess Diaries series, I truly believe that the movie is better than the books–though they are cute reads–and tells a more compelling story in two films than in the series’ 10 plus books. Of course, every kid raised in the early 2000s read the books, but we all still look fondly upon the movie.

First, the book:

She’s just a New York City girl living with her artist mom…

News flash: Dad is prince of Genovia. (So that’s why a limo always meets her at the airport!)

Downer: Dad can’t have any more kids. (So no heir to the throne.)

Shock of the century: Like it or not, Mia is prime princess material.

The worst part: Princess lessons from her dreaded grandmere, the dowager princess of Genovia, who thinks Mia has a thing or two to learn before she steps up to the throne.

Well, her father can lecture her until he’s royal-blue in the face about her princessly duty, no way is she moving to Genovia and leaving Manhattan behind. But what’s a girl to do when her name is PRINCESS AMELIA MIGNONETTE GRIMALDI THERMOPOLIS RENALDO?

There ended up being 11 books in this series, which was very early 2000s, but they don’t hold a candle to the movie, which so many of us can still repeat line-by-line. It’s a cute series, I’ll give it that, but I think the changes made for the movie made it better.

Now, onto the movie, which was released in 2001, which feels insane. I can’t believe i was only SIX when this came out??

It of COURSE stars Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Mandy Moore, and features Sandra Oh, Caroline Goodall, and more. What a classic gem of a movie,seriously. It was directed by Garry Marshall, who has also directed A League of Their Own, Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, Never Been Kissed, and the weird trilogy of Valentine’s Day/New Year’s Eve/Mother’s Day with the intertwining stories and huge casts. The first film has a % Rotten Tomatoes scores.

Marshall also directed the 2004 sequel, Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement,which I swear to you I watch more than the first film. It brings in CHRIS PINE as a love interest/sneaky dude. and it’s got so much spunk and heart and I love it, love it, love it.