Anne Hathaway Marks 25 Years Of ‘The Princess Diaries’ With Rare Throwback Memories

Anne Hathaway is looking back at the breakthrough role that launched her Hollywood career as "The Princess Diaries" celebrates its 25th anniversary. The 43-year-old star marked the milestone on Instagram by sharing nostalgic throwback photos and behind the scenes videos from the set of the 2001 Disney coming-of-age comedy.

In her heartfelt post, Hathaway called making the film "one of the most magical things that has ever happened to me" and expressed her gratitude to fans. "Thank you all for loving 'The Princess Diaries' as much as I do, I am forever grateful for my PD family," she wrote, adding, "Love you Garry, miss you every day." In clips shared from the set, she described filming as "truly a magical experience" that was "so much fun." She paid tribute to her castmates and remembered her late director Garry Marshall, who guided her debut feature role.

Related Stories

Anne Hathaway ‘Spent a Week’ Prepping For Harley Quinn Before ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Meeting; Nolan Didn’t Reveal Catwoman Until Two Hours Into Their Chat

‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’: Anne Hathaway Reveals She Knew the Script Would Be Amazing After Finding Out That Meryl Streep Loved It

Based on the novel by Meg Cabot, the movie tells the story of Mia Thermopolis, a shy American teenager who discovers she is the crown princess of the fictional kingdom of Genovia. Guided by her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi, played by Julie Andrews, Mia must choose between her ordinary life and her royal duties. The ensemble cast also featured Hector Elizondo, Heather Matarazzo, Mandy Moore, Caroline Goodall and Robert Schwartzman.

Produced by Walt Disney Pictures, the film became a major box office hit by earning 165.3 million dollars globally. While it received mixed reviews from critics at the time, strong performances by Hathaway and Andrews won over audiences worldwide. Over the past two decades, the movie has built a lasting legacy for its themes of self-discovery and female-driven storytelling.

Following the success of the original, Hathaway returned for a 2004 sequel. Fans may soon see her back in Genovia, as a third film is currently in development. Hathaway recently revealed that the writing team "had a story breakthrough" and is "moving in the right direction." While noting they "had to start over with this new direction," she reassured fans that "we all feel really good that this is gonna be the one."