Dame Julie Andrews turned 91 on Thursday, 1 October, prompting fans to celebrate the British actress and singer with tributes highlighting her decades-long career, including her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi in The Princess Diaries.
Andrews was born on 1 October 1935 in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. She began performing professionally as a child before establishing herself on the West End and Broadway. Her film career later brought her international recognition through Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, while a younger generation came to know her as the fictional Queen of Genovia in The Princess Diaries films.
Celebrating a Special Day
Playbill marked Andrews' birthday by revisiting rarely seen photographs from her 1995 Broadway production of Victor/Victoria. The production, based on Blake Edwards' 1982 film, opened at New York's Marquis Theatre on 25 October 1995 and ran for 25 previews and 734 performances before closing in July 1997. Andrews reprised her role from the film and starred alongside Tony Roberts, Michael Nouri and Rachel York.
The birthday coverage has also brought attention to Andrews' work in The Princess Diaries, which remains one of her most recognisable later screen roles. She played Queen Clarisse Renaldi, the grandmother of Anne Hathaway's Mia Thermopolis, in the 2001 Disney film and returned for the 2004 sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.
Tributes From Fans
Fans on Reddit marked Andrews' 91st birthday with posts celebrating her work. One discussion in the r/Fauxmoi community attracted more than 1,500 votes, with users describing Andrews as a 'queen' and recalling her performances in The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins. Another discussion on r/popculturechat also drew thousands of votes, with commenters sharing reactions to her birthday and her long career.
The renewed interest in Queen Clarisse comes as The Princess Diaries franchise prepares to return without Andrews. In August, Andrews confirmed that she would not appear in the third film. Speaking to InStyle, she said she considered herself retired and had declined an opportunity to reprise Clarisse after being approached about the project.
'I think I'm retired, really,' Andrews said, explaining that although it was difficult to turn down the opportunity, she believed the new film could continue without her character.
Beyond the Royal Role
Anne Hathaway, who played Mia, is set to return for the third instalment. The project is being developed with Adele Lim directing, while Hathaway confirmed her involvement in 2024. The film's development was also discussed during the franchise's 25th anniversary year, with members of the original cast reflecting on Andrews' contribution to the series.
Andrews' connection to the franchise remains significant despite her absence from the upcoming sequel. In a previous interview with Vanity Fair, she recalled working with director Garry Marshall on the original film and said he wanted her to look glamorous and regal as Queen Clarisse. She also remembered creating details for the fictional kingdom of Genovia, including its association with pears and lace.
Her career extends well beyond the royal role. Andrews won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Mary Poppins in 1965 and went on to star in films including The Sound of Music, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Victor/Victoria. She has also worked extensively in television, theatre, publishing and voice acting.
More recently, Andrews has remained part of popular culture through her role as the narrator Lady Whistledown in Netflix's Bridgerton. She won an Emmy for the performance in 2025 and secured another Emmy in September 2026, making her birthday celebrations part of another notable year in her career.
A documentary about Andrews' life is also in development for Disney+, with director R.J. Cutler attached. The project is expected to include new interviews and unseen archival footage and is scheduled to debut in 2027.
