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The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement is the 2004 sequel to 2001's The Princess Diaries.

Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Héctor Elizondo, and Heather Matarazzo return to play their characters from the first Princess Diaries film, Princess Mia Thermopolis, Queen Clarisse Renaldi, Joe (Mia's bodyguard), and Lilly Moscovitz, respectively. Garry Marshall returned to direct and Debra Martin Chase to produce the sequel.

New characters include Viscount Mabrey (John Rhys-Davies), Lord Nicholas Devereaux (Chris Pine, in his film debut), and Andrew Jacoby (Callum Blue).

Plot[]

The film opens with Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway), Crown Princess of Genovia, graduating from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School. We learn that she and Michael have broken up since he went on tour with his band. She and her best friend, Lilly are still in touch, whom is currently attending UC Berkeley. Mia's mom has married Mia's former teacher Mr. O'Connell and the two are expecting their first baby soon.

Mia, Joe (Héctor Elizondo), and Fat Louie fly to Genovia for Mia's 21st birthday and for her to take her grandmother, Clarisse Renaldi's (Julie Andrews) place as Queen of Genovia once Mia is ready. At her birthday ball, she has to dance with all the eligible bachelors. She accidentally steps on a mysterious young man's shoe and dances with him. When Mia's tiara falls off, Viscount Mabrey (John Rhys-Davies) catches it and it is revealed that he's planning to steal her royal position but Mia brushes it aside.

Mia overhears the meeting between Parliament and the Queen. Viscount Mabrey mentions another heir to the crown, his nephew, Lord Devereaux (Chris Pine). Mia cannot be Queen unless she gets married in thirty days. Mia wants to marry for love, but agrees to an arranged marriage. Clarisse invites Lord Devereaux to stay at the palace. Mia is shocked when she sees he is the man she flirted at the ball, Lord Nicholas Devereaux, so she angrily stomps on his foot and runs off.

Mia is joined with her best friend, Lilly Moscovitz (Heather Matarazzo) while touring her new room and later they search the possible husband. Several of the choices are either not right or not the right age, after a while Mia chooses Andrew Jacoby (Callum Blue), Duke of Kenilworth. The two hit it off after a trip to the beach and days later they are engaged. Mabrey and Nicholas get upset with the engagement, and plot against it. Nicholas starts flirting with Mia and initially is glad that the plan was working.

Mia starts to practice firing a flaming arrow as part of the ceremonies for when she is crowned Queen, but she is useless at archery. At a garden party, Mia gets annoyed seeing Nicholas with Lady Elissa. They argue near an isolated fountain and Nicholas suddenly kisses Mia, after she realizes his plan (right before they both fall into the fountain). After that Nicholas gets second thoughts about stealing the crown and Mabrey realizes that Nicholas has fallen in love with Mia. During the parade, Mia notices the children watching the parade who are all orphans. She then gets out of the carriage and has the children join the parade. With the wedding getting closer, Mia holds a bridal shower slumber party for all the princesses around the world, complete with snacks, mattress surfing, and music. After coming back with Maurice the poodle, the Queen gets in on the fun.

Mia is again practicing archery when Nicholas tells her that he's leaving, but he wants to meet Mia for the last time. Mia is upset, but agrees to meet him. Later Nicholas throws stones at Mia's window. Addressing her as Rapunzel, he asks her to climb down the vine. They go to the lake and dance and fall asleep. When they wake up, Mia sees a man in a boat videotaping them. Mia thinks Nicholas set her up and storms off. When she gets back home, the video has already been broadcast on TV. She apologizes to the disappointed Andrew, and he kisses her and both realize they don't love each other, but agree to marry for Genovia's sake.

Mia's mom and stepdad come for the wedding with Mia's new baby half-brother, Trevor. Meanwhile, Nicholas is debating on whether he should go to the wedding. Mabrey leaves to the wedding and Gretchen tells him that his uncle set up what happened at the lake. Nicholas leaves for the ceremony on his grandfather's penny-farthing bike, the only means of wheeled travel available (although he subsequently swaps the bike with a shepherd for his horse).

Meanwhile Mia is walking down the aisle, but runs out realizing she can't marry Andrew. Clarisse goes after her and tells her not to make the same mistake she did and give up finding love (she's obviously talking about Joe). Mia walks back inside, saying she wants to become Queen without a husband as her grandmother had done just fine as Queen without a husband, but Mabrey says his nephew should be King. Nicholas declines the crown, Parliament votes and the law is changed. Clarisse asks Joe for his hand in marriage and they get married as there is already a wedding prepared.

Mia successfully shoots a flaming arrow through the Coronation ring. The day of her coronation Nicholas comes in and reveals that he is in love with her, she admits it too and they share a passionate kiss. Mia is crowned Queen of Genovia in the coronation ceremony in the palace.

Cast[]

Movie to book differences[]

The first movie - though sporting many different characters, differences in character and overall changes - was essentially the first Princess Diaries book, with the third Princess Diaries book's ending. The second movie was completely alternate from Meg Cabot's novels. Notable changes include:

  • Genovia is actually an absolute monarchy and a principality. There are no kings or queens, only princes and princesses.
  • Mia's right to the throne is not, and will never be, dependent on marriage.
  • In the books, Grandmere is actually a very selfish, vindictive person and tends to cause more problems for Mia than anyone else in her life.
  • Mia's father, Phillipe, is alive and well.
  • Michael Moscovitz did not "get famous" with his band, they actually disbanded after their high school graduation. Michael went on to Columbia University and invented an open-heart surgery robot prototype. Michael and Mia were, until the eighth book, still together, and got back together in the tenth.
  • Mia's personal bodyguard is not Joe. Joe does not exist in the books. In the books, Mia's bodyguard is a Swedish ex-military commando called Lars. They are very good friends.
  • Several other characters are missing from the movie, such as J.P. Reynolds-Abernathy IV (better known in the first few books as "The Guy Who Hates It When They Put Corn In The Chili" and Mia's eventual sort-of boyfriend), Tina Hakim Baba (Mia's "second best-friend"), Shameeka Taylor, Ling-Su Wong, Kenny Showalter (Mia's first boyfriend), Rocky (her baby brother, although in the movie, Mia's mom and stepdad do have a baby whose name is Trevor), and more.

Trivia[]

  • The movie's song "Crowning Glory" marked the first singing performance by Julie Andrews in seven years, following the loss of her singing voice after botched throat surgery in 1997.
  • Anne Hathaway's mother and director Garry Marshall have brief appearances in the film. Hathaway's mother was the leader of the chorus singing at Mia's wedding while Marshall was the middle drummer (the one on the left) in the coronation scene.
  • The jewelry worn by Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews was all real Chopard. A guard was on set at all times. Julie Andrews says on the DVD commentary that on many days she was wearing about a million dollars worth of jewelry.
  • When Queen Clarisse reacts to Princess Mia's claim to the crown being contested, the line she says ("Shut UP!") is exactly the same as the one Mia says when Mia finds out she's a princess.
  • Julie Andrews's granddaughter Hannah Schneider is in this movie, her character being called "Dancing Princess Hannah".
  • Joseph says to Viscount Mabrey that he has "diplomatic immunities in 46 countries, including Puerto Rico." The joke is that actor Héctor Elizondo (Joseph) is a Puerto Rican.
  • The Genovian motto, "Totus corpus laborat," is improper Latin. Since "corpus" is neuter, the motto, which means "the entire body works," should read: "totum corpus laborat."
  • Writer and creator of The Princess Diaries series, Meg Cabot, was initially enthusiastic about the second film[1] but later came to dislike the sequel and repeatedly mentioned all of the liberties the movie took, in the sixth Princess Diaries book Princess in Training.
  • Marvel comic book creator, Stan Lee, makes an appearance in the movie as the "Three Stooges Wedding Guest".
  • At the start of the film, when Mia is explaining how her mother surprised her by marrying her teacher, the footage that's seen is from a scene that was deleted from the first film (the teacher got paint on his shirt sleeve, and in the scene that follows, he takes his shirt off just as Mia walks in after her makeover and catches him shirtless).
  • After Clarisse's talk with Parliament, she speaks with Mia in the throne room. In the numerous hall of portraits of the Renaldi line, Martha Custis Washington's portrait is present.
  • Genovia was filmed partially at Universal Studios in California. It was also remarked by many film critics that Genovia looked remarkably like the Disney Backlot in Burbank, California.
  • Director Garry Marshall's youngest grandchild, Sam Marshall (child of Garry's son Scott) can be seen in the DVD bloopers and as the Ring Bearer in Mia's wedding, carried by his real-life father, who plays "Shades" in the movie.
  • During Mia's slumber party, and when Clarisse sings a song for Mia, a guard is seen dancing outside the room where the party is taking place, but in the next shot the same guard is in the back of the room standing perfectly still. (The guards are twins, according to the DVD's special features.)
  • When Julie Andrews says to Mia, "I've done quite a lot of flying in my time," she is referring to her part in Mary Poppins.
  • Anne Hathaway's commitment to starring in the movie meant that she could not play Christine in the 2004 movie adaptation of Phantom of the Opera.
  • Both brother and sister Spencer and Abigail Breslin have roles in this film, Spencer as Prince Jacques and Abigail as the orphan girl Carolina from the parade.
  • As a throwaway joke, it's mentioned one of the potential husbands Mia looks at has a boyfriend. A subtle acceptance of the community.
  • Nickolas nicknames Mia Rapunzel. Mandy Moore, who played Lana Thomas in the first film, went on to voice Rapunzel in the Tangled franchise years later.

Gallery[]

Promotional[]

Photography[]

Production[]

Screenshots[]

External links[]


v - e - d
The Princess Diaries logo
Media
The Princess Diaries (video/soundtrack/score) • The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (video/soundtrack) • The Princess Diaries 3
Characters
The Princess Diaries: Mia ThermopolisQueen Clarisse RenaldiJosh BryantLana ThomasHelen Thermopolis

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement: Andrew JacobyViscount MabreyNicholas Devereaux

Songs
"Supergirl" • "Miracles Happen (When You Believe)" • "Breakaway"
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