Julie Andrews has ruled herself out of The Princess Diaries 3, for one very sad reason

It’s the news Princess Diaries lovers definitely weren’t hoping for: Julie Andrews has confirmed she won’t be returning for the third film.

While there had been plenty of speculation about whether the iconic actress would reprise her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi, it sounds like Andrews has already made up her mind about returning alongside Anne Hathaway.

Via Disney

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Andrews explained that she simply feels her career has moved in a different direction.

“I think the absolute truth is that I think I’m really past all that now,” Andrews said. “I’m not completely retired, but it’s a different kind of work that I do these days — [writing] books, and I do a lot of recording of podcasts and voiceovers. But truly, I don’t think I should be a part of it.”

Andrews, who is still working on plenty of projects, said she now prefers work that doesn’t necessarily require her to appear on screen.

“It isn’t that I’m not enthusiastic for it. It’s just that I really don’t feel I should be part of it now,” she explained.

Rather than seeing her character’s story continue, Andrews believes the next chapter should belong firmly to Mia Thermopolis, played by Hathaway.

“I think the story has to continue in Princess Mia,” she said. “It’s her story. It’s not really mine.”

Via Disney

Which, honestly, is probably going to make the third film feel very strange for anyone who grew up watching Clarisse and Mia’s relationship unfold.

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Andrews was also asked what she would like to see happen in the next film, although she admitted she doesn’t really know what the new story will look like.

“Actually don’t know. I think it proceeds from the second Princess Diaries. It moves on, but by now Annie too is a little older than she was when she did it. I’m interested to see what Meg [Cabot] and Annie and everybody comes up with,” she said.

The first Princess Diaries recently reached its 25th anniversary, giving Andrews another chance to reflect on why the film has stuck around for so long.

Via Disney

Anne Hathaway recently gave an update during an appearance on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy, where host Andy Cohen asked about the long-awaited sequel. For now, though, production has been put on pause while Hathaway focuses on her pregnancy.

“I’m busy making baby No. 3 and that has sort of taken the place of knowing exactly when I can make Princess Diaries 3,” Hathaway said.

She did, however, have some promising news about the film’s direction.

“But I can say I think we had a story breakthrough. I think we are moving in the right direction.”

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Featured image credit via Disney