“Me? A princess? Shut up!” In 2001, everyone wanted to become a princess after watching the Disney live-action film, The Princess Diaries. Adapted from Meg Cabot’s popular book series, the film is fun, endearing, and it inspires viewers of all ages to embrace their individuality. Even the most simple, ordinary person can be royalty.
Throughout the film, Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is coached by her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews) on her necessary responsibilities as a princess. Queen Clarisse teaches her the proper etiquette for being a princess, as well as inspirational advice that builds Mia’s character. Of course, the only person who could play this role is the one and only Julie Andrews, who has charmed audiences for decades. If she has a lesson to offer, including these ten, we better listen to her. You don’t say no to a queen.
How To Hold A Fan
The Princess Diaries was so successful that it was followed with a sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. Mia has moved to the fictional Genovia and she must marry before she can become Queen.
Just like the first film, Queen Clarisse offers many lessons for Mia. They’re especially important before Mia can become the queen of Genovia. In one scene, Queen Clarisse guides Mia on how to properly hold a fan. She instructs: “One handles a fan very deliberately. It’s a tremendous tool for communication.” You can demonstrate that you’re flirtatious, angry, or shy by how you hold a fan over your face. While Mia mocks, or rather “sasses,” her grandmother, it’s a fun lesson. Besides, it’s rewarding to hear Julie Andrews say, “Come hither.”
A Princess Never Chases Chickens
In another scene from The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Queen Clarisse is meeting with Genovia natives. She talks to them and they have brought her gifts. Mia acknowledges that her grandmother is so good with them. Queen Clarisse remarks, “One has to be fair and very honest, even if you can’t help. You have to show the people that you care.”
However, the scene becomes humorous when a farmer brings a live chicken to Queen Clarisse and Mia. Of course, Mia drops the chicken and it is running loose in the throne room. Mia starts to chase after it, but the queen is quick to remind her that a “princess never chases a chicken.” Good to know!
Princesses Don’t Cross Their Legs
In The Princess Diaries, Mia visits her grandmother numerous times for princess training lessons while she considers if she truly wants to become a princess or not. These lessons are some of the best scenes in the movie.
For example, Queen Clarisse teaches Mia how to properly sit. According to the queen, princesses never cross their legs in public. Instead, Queen Clarisse instructs: “Tuck one ankle behind the other and place your hands gracefully on the knees.” Of course, Mia falls out of her chair while she’s practicing, but at least she tried.
How To Walk
In addition to learning how to properly sit, Mia also learns how to walk and have good posture. Queen Clarisse says, “When walking in a crowd, one is under scrutiny all the time.” So, you don’t “schlump” and slouch your shoulders. That’s not the best form for walking like a princess. Instead, you glide gracefully.
In addition, the proper posture for a member of royalty is to “drop the shoulders.” Think tall, tuck under, and transfer the weight from one leg to the other. Unfortunately, Mia doesn’t take these lessons very seriously, but she probably thanked her grandmother later when she became the queen of Genovia.
How To Wave
A member of royalty is always polite, no matter what. This is even included in how a princess should wave. During one of Mia’s princess lessons, Queen Clarisse instructs her granddaughter on how to wave and greet someone.
You gently wave your hand in a circular motion. You don’t move your hand back and forth. You acknowledge your public and say, “Thank you for being here today.” This is a fairly simple lesson that even Mia masters on her first attempt.
How To Get Out Of Trouble
Let’s say you accidentally ran your precious Mustang into a San Francisco trolley streetcar. This would be a scary situation that would ultimately involve police officers. Luckily, for Mia, she has her grandmother to save the day.
Queen Clarisse cleverly uses her royal status to prevent Mia from being arrested. She pretends to knight the police officers and they foolishly fall for the trick. While it’s probably not best to lie, even Queen Clarisse uses her power to get out of trouble. She charms everyone with her proper farewell: “Goodbye, trolley people!”
How To Have Fun
Just because you’re a princess or a member of royalty doesn’t mean you can’t have fun every once in a while. In Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Mia has a sleepover with visiting princesses from foreign countries, including a cameo role from Raven Symone. To have fun, they go “mattress surfing” down the main staircase/slide of the royal palace.
Queen Clarisse participates in the fun. When Mia acknowledges that her grandmother previously said she “never slides,” Queen Clarisse comments, “I don’t. But I’ve done a lot of flying in my time.” This is clearly a reference to Andrews’ famous role as Mary Poppins in the 1964 Disney film, Mary Poppins.
You Don’t Need A Man To Be A Queen
Queen Clarisse is a feminist figure. She’s ruling a country without a king by her side. In the sequel, the Genovia parliament acknowledges that Mia must be married before she can become the queen. Mia looks for a potential husband and even becomes engaged. However, towards the end of the film, she persuades the parliament that she doesn’t need to be married.
Mia says, “My grandmother has ruled without a man at her side for quite some time, and I think she rocks at it.” Queen Clarisse subtly taught Mia that she can be a ruler on her own. She doesn’t need a man, and that’s an important lesson viewers can learn, as well.
A Queen Is Never Late
Towards the end of The Princess Diaries, Queen Clarisse is hosting a royal ball, where she will publicly announce that Mia is the next princess and future queen of Genovia. When it appears that Clarisse is running late to the ball, she nonchalantly addresses, “A Queen is never late. Everyone else is simply early.”
What’s the lesson here? You can acknowledge that you’re late, but you don’t have to apologize for it. Everyone else is early. They are on your schedule. This lesson might not apply to everyone, but it’s one of the best lines from the movie.
Don’t Give Up
In the first film, Mia struggles to accept her new reality as a princess. Prior to this, she was a geeky, clumsy teenager who threw up while trying to give a public speech. She liked to be invisible. So, when she can’t handle the stress, she considers giving up entirely.
Queen Clarisse offers many valuable, poetic words of wisdom throughout the movie. She’s the voice of reason, and she always reminds Mia that she should never give up. She tells her, “Amelia, you wouldn’t stop driving your Mustang just because a couple of insects hit the windshield.” To put it simply, don’t give up when you face your first obstacle. Try again and you’ll have different results. If it worked for Mia and Queen Clarisse, then it can work for you.
