The Princess Diaries facts for kids

The Princess Diaries is a fun American comedy movie released in 2001. It was produced by famous singer and actress Whitney Houston. The movie was directed by Garry Marshall. It is based on a popular book by Meg Cabot.

The story is about two teenagers, Mia Thermopolis (played by Anne Hathaway) and her brother Peter Thermopolis (played by Tobey Maguire). They discover they are the only ones who can inherit the throne of a made-up country called Genovia. Their grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (played by Julie Andrews), rules Genovia.

The movie also features Heather Matarazzo and James Franco as Mia and Peter's best friends, Lilly Moscovitz and Harry. Héctor Elizondo plays Joseph, the Queen's head of security. Robert Schwartzman plays Michael, Lilly's brother, who likes Mia.

The Princess Diaries came out in theaters on August 3, 2001. It was very popular and earned over $165 million around the world. A sequel called The Princess Diaries 2 was released in 2004.

The Story of The Princess Diaries

Mia and Peter Thermopolis are shy high school students. They live in San Francisco with their mom, Helen. Mia is not very popular and is afraid to speak in front of groups. She also has a crush on a boy named Josh. Josh's girlfriend, Lana, often teases Mia.

Mia and Peter's best friends are Lilly Moscovitz and Harry. Lilly's older brother, Michael, secretly likes Mia. One day, Mia and Peter learn a huge secret from their grandmother, Clarisse. They are the only heirs to the throne of Genovia, a country in Europe. Their father, who recently passed away, was a prince there.

Queen Clarisse wants to teach Mia and Peter how to be a proper princess and prince. Mia is shocked and does not want to do it at first. But their mom, Helen, convinces them to try "princess and prince lessons." They agree to decide if they want to be royalty at the Genovian Independence Day Ball in three weeks.

Becoming a Princess and Prince

Mia gets a big makeover to look more like a princess. Joe, the queen's head of security, drives her around in a limousine. Joe becomes like a father figure to Mia and Peter. Mia's new look makes her schoolmates treat her differently. Her busy schedule also causes problems with Lilly.

To make things better, Mia and Peter tell Lilly and Harry their secret. They promise to keep it quiet. But soon, a hairdresser named Paolo tells the news to the press. Suddenly, everyone knows Mia is a princess and Peter is a prince. Reporters start following them everywhere.

Mia and Peter are clumsy at their first royal dinner. But the queen finds their mistakes charming. She suggests they spend more time together. Clarisse explains that Mia and Peter's parents loved each other. But they decided to divorce so they could follow their own dreams. Their father stayed in Genovia, and their mother returned to America with them. This way, Mia and Peter could have a normal childhood.

Challenges and Decisions

As Mia becomes more popular, Josh invites her and Peter to a beach party. They go, which makes them ignore Lilly, Harry, and Michael. At the party, Josh kisses Mia in front of the reporters. He wants to become famous. Lana helps reporters take pictures of Mia in a towel and Peter in board shorts. These photos appear in the newspaper the next day.

Queen Clarisse is upset about the photos. She tells Mia and Peter that their behavior is not right for a princess and a prince. Mia and Peter feel embarrassed and say they will give up their royal titles. Joe reminds the queen that Mia and Peter are still teenagers. He suggests she was too hard on them.

Mia and Peter then make up with Lilly and Harry. They also stand up to Lana for bullying another student. Mia and Peter invite Lilly, Harry, and Michael to the ball. But Michael says no because he is still sad about Mia ignoring him.

Clarisse apologizes to Mia and Peter for scolding them. She says they must publicly give up the throne at the ball. Mia and Peter are scared and plan to run away. But then they find a touching letter from their late father. This makes them change their minds.

On the way to the ball, Mia's car breaks down in the rain. Joe comes to pick them up. When they arrive, Mia and Peter are wet and messy. But they give a powerful speech. They bravely accept their roles as the Prince and Princess of Genovia.

After changing into formal clothes, Mia and Peter join Clarisse in the ballroom. Michael, who has accepted Mia's apology, asks her to dance. They tell each other how they feel and share their first kiss. In the end, Mia and Peter fly to Genovia with their cat, Fat Louie. Mia writes in her diary that they plan to move to Genovia with their mother.

Main Characters and Actors

• Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis
• Tobey Maguire as Peter Thermopolis
• Julie Andrews as Queen Clarisse Renaldi
• Heather Matarazzo as Lilly Moscovitz
• James Franco as Harry
• Héctor Elizondo as Joseph "Joe"
• Mandy Moore as Lana Thomas
• Caroline Goodall as Helen Thermopolis, Mia and Peter's mother
• Robert Schwartzman as Michael Moscovitz
• Erik von Detten as Josh Bryant
• Sean O'Bryan as Patrick O'Connell
• Sandra Oh as Vice Principal Gupta
• Kathleen Marshall as Charlotte Kutaway
• Mindy Burbano as Gym teacher, Ms. Harbula
• René Auberjonois (uncredited) as Voice of Philippe Renaldi
• Larry Miller (uncredited) as Paolo

Awards and Recognitions

The Princess Diaries received several awards and nominations. Here are some of them:

See also

In Spanish: The Princess Diaries (serie) para niños