When The Princess Diaries, a beloved novel by Meg Cabot, was made into a movie in 2001, it became an instant smash. Mia Thermopolis, a shy and ordinary 16-year-old girl, finds out she is the successor to Genovia’s monarchy in this intriguing narrative. She runs upon her estranged grandmother Queen Clarisse Renaldi, who would stop at nothing to impart to her the manners of a princess.
Mia just wants to go through high school as smoothly as possible, but she will be compelled to make a total life change. Based on the subject, similar mood, and problems their main characters are facing, we have chosen to present to you the top 10 films that are similar to The Princess Diaries in this list.
13 Going on 30 (2004)
What it’s about: Jenna Rink want fame, but it is not so easy. When she makes a wish following a significant humiliation at her 13th birthday party, she awakens the next morning in the body of an accomplished 30-year-old lady. Jenna is well-liked and surrounded by friends, but it appears that Matt is no longer in her life. Now who is she? What did she turn into, and why is Matt giving her zero attention? As we follow this woman’s development and hope for a happy conclusion in which everything returns to how it was 17 years ago, we will see her growth and transformation.
Why you should see it: One of the most enduring mainstream romance films from the 2000s. It reminds us that the most crucial things are immediately next to us and features a geeky girl with a crush. It also demonstrates how some changes may at first have an impact on our behaviour, but that we must always remember who we are and accept ourselves for who we are.
A Cinderella Story (2004)
What it’s about: Samantha Montgomery, who lives with her nasty stepmother and her two terrible daughters, is the subject of this contemporary Cinderella tale. Sam is fortunate to have a wonderful best friend, and she also communicates via email with a boy by the name of Nomad. She is unsure of what to do after learning that Nomad is the most popular man in her high school when he asks her to their Halloween dance.
Why you should watch it: This sweet teen film adapts the well-known Cinderella tale to a contemporary American high school where we see issues resembling those in the fable. This heartwarming story demonstrates how appearances can sometimes be deceiving.
Easy A (2010)
The story centres on Olive, played by Emma Stone, a decent girl whose small white lie about losing her virginity spreads and becomes the most significant piece of knowledge in her high school. Everyone starts talking about her right away, and her life starts to resemble Hester Prynne’s in The Scarlet Letter, which they are discussing in class. Olive, though, is not going to let anything get to her. She plans to take advantage of the rumours to raise her financial and social status.
Why you should watch it: This is a great comedy that demonstrates how quickly individuals may start planning a new rumour after setting aside the most recent one. Emma Stone is flawless in one of her earliest parts in the film, which is a breath of new air.
Ella Enchanted (2004)
What it’s about: Ella, played by Anne Hathaway, is a young woman who has been given the gift of constantly being submissive. Ella will have to deal with her remarkable gift when her mother passes away and her avaricious father remarries to a wicked woman who has two haughty kids. To find the fairy who can end her spell, she will set off on a magical quest.
Why you should watch it: Anne Hathaway once again demonstrates her talent and versatility in this contemporary Cinderella tale. You’ll like this one too if you loved The Princess Diaries and appreciate Cinderella in general.
Enchanted (2007)
What happens when a fairytale character is introduced to the real world is the topic of this story. This is what happened to the lovely Giselle, who was exiled to New York City by the wicked queen Narissa from her musical and dancing animated world. Giselle is continuously attempting to bring some magic to the town and its residents since she is utterly unprepared and honestly astonished by modern life, which has no happy endings and people who don’t sing when they want to express themselves. She will begin to wonder how much her world and the one she has found herself in actually vary when she falls in love with a gorgeous divorce attorney.
Why you should watch it: Both of these films feature a lot of magic, a likeable heroine who must adapt to her current circumstances, and a cast of supporting actors who stand by her side to assist her navigate the unfamiliar surroundings.
Freaky Friday (2003)
What it’s about: Tess Coleman, Anna Coleman’s mother, and Anna Coleman have never gotten along well or understood one another. One Thursday night, after a heated disagreement in a Chinese restaurant, the mother of the business’s owner gives each of them a fortune cookie. The following morning, they awaken in one another’s bodies. This will be a great opportunity to start getting to know one another better as they start to acclimatise to the new personalities.
Why you should watch it: This funny remake instructs us to temper our exuberance and consider our actions carefully. These two movies have a lot of things in common. However, the most crucial thing is that we strive to accept the feelings and opinions of others around us, even if they are utterly at odds with our own.
Legally Blonde (2001)
What it’s about: The narrative of Elle Woods, a lovely and clever Harvard law student who is never taken seriously due to her eccentric personality, unusual fashion choices, and perfect understanding of all trivial matters, is told in the flashy and quirky comedy Legally Blonde. She starts to transform after learning that Harvard accepts her and that she is so much more than just a pretty face.
Why you should see it: These two films have many parallels, despite the fact that you would not initially think so. We will learn more about Mia and Elle’s genuine personalities as the film progresses. Not that they were previously concealing something, but rather that they had a great deal more to reveal than has already been made public.
Mean Girls
What it’s about: This fascinating film about American high school life, the outcasts and the popular students and their relationships and communication is undoubtedly one of the best teenage comedy in the previous twenty years. Cady Heron, one of the most well-liked students at her school and a member of The Plastics, the most well-known girl clique there, is the first person we meet. But when she makes a mistake and falls for their leader Regina George’s ex-boyfriend, her life is forever altered.
Why you should watch it: This is a very brilliant comedy that portrays the high school hierarchy in a rather cynical and sarcastic way, making it a little different from the standard films with a similar issue. It is hilarious and amusing, and Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried give outstanding performances. There are similarities between these two films even though The Princess Diaries isn’t really focused on high school differences.
The Parent Trap (1998)
What it’s about: Annie and Hallie, who were split up at birth after their parents’ divorced, are the subject of this popular version of The Parent Trip from 1961. One stayed in the United States with her father, while the other travelled to England with her mother. Lindsay Lohan portrays both of the girls who discover they are twins after meeting at a summer camp. Two polar opposites, one wild and rebellious and the other delicate and polite, decide to trade places and go back to their parents in the hope that they will reunite them.
Why you should see it: Since all of the characters are searching for something missing, there is an identification connection between this film and The Princess Diaries. The daughters in this movie want to meet their other parent halves, and Mia is also trying to learn more about this side of her family that she wasn’t aware even existed while trying to avoid losing herself in the course of this enormous upheaval.
What a Girl Wants (2003)
What it’s about: Daphne Reynolds is a teenage American girl who lives in New York with her mellow mother and perpetually wonders who her father might be. She learns one day that he is a British politician who is seeking government. Although she is excited to meet him, she is fully aware that this new information could embarrass him and his family in London.
Why you should watch it: Everyone will love this fantastic teen comedy. It offers an intriguing plot, gorgeous shots of London, and excellent work from Amanda Bynes and Colin Firth. A parallel to The Princess Diary can also be drawn between these two works due to the absence of a father figure in the life of the main character and the fact that her other side of the family is far wealthy than she could have ever anticipated.
