'The Princess Diaries' author reveals why Disney killed off Mia's father: 'It was for Julie Andrews'

More than 25 years after The Princess Diaries first charmed audiences, author Meg Cabot has revealed the surprising reason Disney made one of the film's biggest changes from her bestselling novel: they killed off Mia Thermopolis' father so Julie Andrews would have a larger role.

Appearing on CBS Mornings, Cabot recalled receiving an unexpected phone call from Disney executives while the 2001 adaptation was in development.

"They actually called me and they go, 'Well, we have some bad news. We have to kill the dad in your book,'" Cabot remembered. "And I was like, 'Why? What did he do?'"

In Cabot's original novel, Mia's father, Prince Philippe of Genovia, is alive and plays a major role in helping his daughter adjust to royal life after revealing she is heir to the throne. However, the film instead opens with Philippe having died before the story begins, leaving Queen Clarisse to guide Mia through her transformation into a princess.

According to Cabot, Disney explained that the decision had nothing to do with the character himself and everything to do with the actress they hoped would play Mia's grandmother.

"We have an actress that we want to play the grandmother, and she's a really great actress, and she hasn't done anything in a while, and we really want to give her more lines," Cabot recalled the studio telling her. "So we're going to kill the dad and give this actress the dead dad lines."

Cabot said her opinion changed instantly after learning who that actress was.

"I said, 'Who's the actress?' And they said, 'Julie Andrews.' I said, 'Kill the dad. Bye, Dad! It's Julie. You're out.'"

The change proved pivotal to the film. Andrews' portrayal of Queen Clarisse Renaldi became one of The Princess Diaries' defining performances, creating the warm grandmother-granddaughter relationship at the heart of the story. The Oscar winner reprised the role in 2004's The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, helping cement the franchise's lasting popularity.

Cabot also shared an encouraging update on the long-awaited third film. She revealed that Disney is actively searching for filming locations and that she has read several promising versions of the screenplay, although she stressed that details remain under wraps.

Anne Hathaway recently confirmed that work on The Princess Diaries 3 is continuing, saying she and the creative team are "chipping away" at the script while ensuring it lives up to fans' high expectations. Although Disney has yet to announce a release date or confirm the returning cast, excitement remains high for Mia Thermopolis' long-awaited return to Genovia.