July 29 is certainly a day fit for a princess
Once upon a time, well, July 29, 1981 to be exact, the world saw a fairytale come to life. It was a historic day that turned a lady into a princess. That date marked the beginning of the married life of British royal couple HRH Prince Charles and the beautiful Lady Diana Spencer. Though the love story of the two didn't end with a "happily ever after," it still was a truly magical moment aired on television.
Who can blame them? The image of a prince standing at the altar is every woman's dream. But it was Princess Diana that took everyone's breath away. Her walking down the aisle of St. Paul Cathedral in her big taffeta dress with her bridal glow was like a page torn from a bedtime story book.
Fast forward 20 years later, another fairytale happened on July 29, 2001 with the premiere of "The Princess Diaries." Directed by Gary Marshall, the coming-of-age flick centers its story on a high school girl who learns she's next in line for the throne in the fictional Kingdom of Genovia. While the movie featured a fictional princess character, the true fairytale here lies on the film stars then 18-year-old newbie actress Anne Hathaway.
Last July 29, 2021 marked the 40th anniversary of the matrimony of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, Princess of Wales. Both of the royal couple's sons chose to celebrate their parent's anniversary in silence. On July 1, 2021, a monument of the late princess was erected in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace in recognition of Diana's 60th birthday. Meanwhile, actress Anne commemorated the 20th year of her debut film by sharing snaps with the cast on Instagram with a caption that described the movie as "the film that launched a thousand sleep overs."
As of 2020, a third film for the "Princess Diaries" franchise is reportedly in the works.