When it comes to the Hollywood Chrises discourse, my allegiances have long aligned with Mr. Chris Pine. The man helped revitalize Star Trek with his amazing Captain Kirk, was an A+ love interest for Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman and proved to be an all-around movie star with his career decisions over the years. I mean, we have a singing Spider-Man thanks to him and he’a sure to be a great bard in the Dungeons & Dragons movie. Somehow I forget I’ve been watching his movies just about all my life, starting with Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, which I recently rewatched for the first time in forever.
So, when I was in kindergarten, I got invited to see the first Princess Diaries movie during a friends’ birthday party, where us kids were taken to the El Capitan in Los Angeles to see it. It was the fanciest experience to me of all time. Little me was awestruck by seeing the costumes in person before seeing Mary Poppins’ Julie Andrews play opposite newcomer Anne Hathaway in a story about an everyday teen who learns she is a princess. As someone who was really big into Disney Princesses at the time, seeing a non-animated young girl in contemporary times becoming a princess was the best thing ever. Three years later came the sequel, 2004’s Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, which I watched a ton as a kid, but recently revisited with some friends. We were living for it, and here are some of my thoughts about it now.
I Can’t Believe This Was Chris Pine’s First Movie!?!? Iconic!
Nearly 20 years later, everyone knows Chris Pine’s name, but what I didn’t realize off the top of my head is that Princess Diaries 2 was actually Chris Pine’s first movie ever. Pine was 24 when the movie came out and while, on its own, it didn’t make him as famous as he would become a few years later with Star Trek, he certainly became the man of many young girl’s dreams with this early role. And you know what? I still get it.
It’s honestly a slam dunk of a first role for Pine, as it introduced his lasting charm to the world. Not to mention the man got to act against eventual Oscar winner Anne Hathaway, the incomparable Julie Andrews and work with Pretty Woman director Garry Marshall with his first go on the big screen. He won and we won.
The Hair… I Need To Talk About Nicholas’ Hair
The first thing that caught my attention is how big and puffy Pine’s hair is in the Princess Diaries sequel. The actor has certainly gone through a ton of hairstyles over the years, but I wouldn’t say that Nicholas Devereaux has the best one. It’s kind of glorious and makes sense for his character, but my goodness. Pine was actually asked about being down for Princess Diaries 3 while promoting Dungeons & Dragons recently, and he said he would be into it, but would be keeping his “helmet very close” in regards to his hair cut. So, even he knows what I’m talking about.
Also, His Accent Is Weird But He’s Somehow Still Very Charming
In the sequel, Pine plays Lord Devereaux, the next male heir to the throne of Genovia who threatens Mia’s coronation, as she must obey a law to marry before she can become queen. Pine is from Los Angeles, so I get he couldn’t use his own accent to play a Lord of a nondescript European country, but what’s up with his accent? It’s just, like, “prince voice.” But while I find it weird, the guy still manages to sell it. Pine just has it I guess?
It’s Really The Enemies-To-Lovers Of It All That Got Us Good
Now that I’m in my twenties and have become a huge film fan who has watched a ton of classic romantic comedies and reevaluated a few favorite Disney movies of my childhood, part of me thought rewatching Princess Diaries 2 would be a painful experience, but honestly, it still has a hold on me. Sure, there are a few comedic bits that are corny and meant for a younger audience, but the moments between Mia and Nicholas are a great use of the enemies-to-lovers trope that you can’t help but be enraptured by.
The fountain kiss after they say how much they “loathe” each other? The part when he throws rocks at her window and they dance in the park at night to Norah Jones’ “Love Me Tender”...Excuse me? This movie knew what it was doing, and did it well.
Its Ending Was Very Empowering For 2004
Also, rather than Mia simply realizing she’s falling in love with Nicholas and marrying him, rather than Andew Jacoby (who wasn't a bad second choice for her, not going to lie), she decides to take action to abolish the law where women like her have to be married before becoming queen. By the end of the movie, she decides she’s simply not ready to get married yet, but is ready to rule. While Disney movies were starting to improve their messages at the time, I still find that storyline to be a great message about not letting outside pressure make you do something your heart is not into.
10/10 would show this movie to the next generation.
Julie Andrews Is The Most Charming Of Them All
While Pine is incredible alongside Hathaway in Princess Diaries 2, Julie Andrews absolutely steals the movie, especially with her sweet, second chance romance with Hector Elizondo ‘s Joe throughout the sequel. On top of the movie being empowering for Mia, it forwards the story of her grandma by showing that it’s never too late to fall in love and defy tradition. Andrews has so many great scenes throughout, but her being in those blue pajamas singing “Your Crowning Glory” with Raven Symoné is an all-time great movie moment from my childhood.
I Want, But Don’t Need, Princess Diaries 3
This brings me to all this talk of a Princess Diaries 3, which has been coming and going for years, including word that a writer has been hired to pen a new movie for the franchise. Hathaway has shared that she’s passionate about making it happen, whilst Andrews is less optimistic. After rewatching the sequel, part of me wants to see an older Mia and Nicholas, perhaps after being married for sometime, and see much of this magnificent cast come together again. But another part of me is totally fine with leaving it be, especially knowing the late Garry Marshall was a major element in making these movies as magical as they are.
You can watch Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement with a Disney+ subscription and see Chris Pine in Dungeons & Dragons, in theaters on March 31.
