Julie Andrews says no to ‘Princess Diaries 3’: ‘They don’t need Granny’

Julie Andrews has officially closed the door on a royal return.

The Oscar-winning actress revealed that she turned down an invitation to reprise her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi in The Princess Diaries 3, saying she believes the franchise is ready to move forward without her.

“They asked me all last year if I would be keen to do it. It was very hard to say ‘no,’ but I did because I thought I had a wonderful ride, and this one I felt would flourish very well and wouldn’t need Granny going in there at my age,” Andrews told InStyle.

The 89-year-old actress portrayed the elegant queen of Genovia in the first two Princess Diaries films opposite Anne Hathaway, becoming one of the franchise’s most beloved characters.

Although she admitted declining the offer was difficult, Andrews said she felt the upcoming installment should have the opportunity to stand on its own rather than rely on familiar faces.

Disney officially announced The Princess Diaries 3 last year, with Adele Lim directing and Anne Hathaway returning as Mia Thermopolis. Plot details remain under wraps, but the film is expected to continue the story of the once-reluctant princess who embraced her royal destiny.