“The Princess Diaries” movies may be two decades old, but they haven’t lost their significance. From courage to self-worth, these are things we can take away from Princess Mia and her journey to queendom
Warning: Spoilers for the Princess Diaries 1 and 2 ahead.
Anne Hathaway’s recent Instagram post confirming that “The Princess Diaries” is finally returning to the big screen sent the internet into a frenzy.
The film focuses on the young Mia Thermopolis ( Hathaway) and her journey from being an average, awkward teenager to becoming the people’s favorite princess and eventually queen.
Let’s revisit the beloved early 2000s classic that is finally receiving a much-anticipated follow-up more than 20 years after the last film, and pick up a few lessons from the Queen of Genovia herself:
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1. Even princesses sometimes want to quit, too
When Mia was first revealed to the public as the next in line for the throne of Genovia, she was overwhelmed. Imagine being just a regular 15-year-old one moment and then a ruler of an entire kingdom the next; it must’ve been one too many things happening all at once.
She was mobbed at school, her old pictures before the makeover were plastered all over the news, and not to mention, her best friend Lily was going on and on about how she didn’t like her new style.
Juggling school and its drama, all while training to be a princess, felt a little too much for the young royal to the point where she asked Joseph, her bodyguard, if she could just tell everyone she quit. Joseph assures her that all she has to do is simply try.
It’s natural to feel these things, but it’s important to at least try; it builds character and develops resilience and confidence so you can become a better you.
It is hard to maintain grace in the heat of the moment. However, this is something we can learn as we navigate life. It may feel unfair, but like Mia, we must shake it off and keep going.
The crown might seem heavy, but if we change our perspective, it doesn’t have to become a burden—instead, it is an opportunity to change the world.
2. Beauty fades, but character remains
Mia tells Lana off while smushing ice cream on her cheerleading outfit, “Yeah, I am a freak. But you know what? Someday, I just might grow out of that. But you will never stop being a jerk.”
Throughout the entirety of the first movie, we see the stereotypical high school blonde cheerleading bully Lana take jabs at the young royal for absolutely no reason at all. She has been nothing but a jerk to the princess, even pretending to be Mia’s best friend when she was announced heir to the throne and setting her up in a scandal that almost cost her the throne.
Mia, finally having enough, confronts Lana with the gripping realization that yes, while she might be what the norm considers a “freak” right now, that won’t be the case forever.
And that even if she is, does it really matter?
The princess stands up for herself by emphasizing that beauty is just a stepping stone for a person’s initial attraction. It is still up to the person’s true character to shape the lasting impression; it is subjective and fleeting. A great personality transcends that superficial attention and fosters a genuine and more valuable connection.
3. Being a girl boss is more than meets the eye
The saying “Heavy is the head that wears the crown” rings true, most especially for our favorite queens.
Whenever we see someone being the best in whatever they do, we tend to miss the labor they put into it. Beauty and grace might be natural, but maintaining such is hard work. “People think princesses are supposed to wear tiaras, marry the prince, always look pretty, and live happily ever after. But it’s so much more than that. It’s a real job.”
When Mia attended lessons in proper etiquette for her presentation as Genovia’s princess, Queen Clarice patiently explained that being a princess is challenging work. Beyond the glitz and glamour of becoming a princess, there is a more complex reality filled with challenges, sky-high expectations, limitations on personal freedom, and many more.
It is easy to just focus on its fairy-tale-like glamour, but the hard work behind it is no easy job. It is important to acknowledge that a lot of sacrifice is put into such hard work.
Queen Clarice makes sure that Mia fully understands the position she is put in requires full accountability and responsibility. Recognizing the nuances of hard work promotes a culture of appreciation and develops a positive environment for future generations, in this case, Mia and the future of Genovia.
4. Be brave and take risks
When Mia was deciding whether or not she should accept the crown, a letter fell from the diary given by her late father.
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”
For a while, before she read the letter, Mia was so sure she would leave and escape from all the pressure. It is only natural to want to run away from something you feel that you cannot handle but just like what Mia’s father said, “The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.”
There is no use being scared of the unknown; living in fear would not only hamper your growth as a person but also take away opportunities that could very well be a catalyst for a much-needed change.
Motivated by the letter, Mia rushed to retract her previous statement and instead embraced the responsibilities that come along with her bearing the crown.
5. Embrace your most genuine self
Mia is just another average, awkward teenager struggling with the same anxieties and dramas as other awkward teenage girls.
“Just in case I wasn’t enough of a freak already, let’s add a tiara!”
Being labeled a “freak,” embodying that label, and then suddenly having to wear a fancy crown doesn’t change the fact that she is still the same old Mia. No matter what changed on the outside, regardless of all the makeovers and etiquette training, she is still the same “synchronized swimming, yoga-doing, horseback riding, wall-climbing type girl.”
Regardless of whatever happens, you should never lose sight of your core.
You owe it to yourself to become the most genuine version of yourself, steadfast to your beliefs, with or without a tiara on top of your head.