A casual, low-key outing proves the 91-year-old is enjoying a peaceful, well-deserved semi-retirement focused on creative projects rather than red carpets.
Fans are mourning the confirmed exit from 'The Princess Diaries 3,' but insiders suggest Andrews is prioritizing her voice and writing over Hollywood's demanding schedule.
Page Six photos show Andrews being assisted out of a vehicle in the Hamptons last Friday. She wore a lilac jacket and white cap. In August, she told The Hollywood Reporter she is 'not completely retired' but focusing on books and podcasts.
Julie Andrews is trading the throne of Genovia for the quiet life, and honestly? Good for her.
The internet collectively held its breath last Friday when Page Six dropped the first sightings of Julie Andrews in months. The 91-year-old screen legend, who just celebrated her birthday earlier this month, was photographed in the Hamptons, marking a rare public appearance after a period of intense privacy. The images, captured by Matt Agudo for INSTARimages, show the "Sound of Music" star being carefully assisted out of a vehicle, dressed casually in a lilac-colored jacket, a white baseball cap, and pink-shaded sunglasses.
While the weather in the Hamptons was reportedly rainy, the mood among fans was anything but gloomy—just relieved to see the icon looking comfortable and supported. This sighting isn't just a paparazzi win; it’s a visual confirmation of the major career shift Andrews announced back in August. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the Oscar winner made it clear that while she isn't hanging up her microphone entirely, her priorities have shifted dramatically.
"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," she explained. The Hamptons outing serves as a real-life snapshot of this new chapter: low-stakes, low-visibility, and entirely on her own terms. The most significant takeaway from this rare glimpse is the finality regarding "The Princess Diaries" franchise.
During that same August interview, Andrews confirmed she would not be returning as Queen Clarisse Renaldi for the third installment. Her reasoning was direct and unapologetic: "I think the absolute truth is that I think I’m really past all that now," she stated. "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." For fans hoping to see her share the screen with Anne Hathaway one last time, the door has officially closed. Despite Andrews' exit, the franchise itself isn't dead. Anne Hathaway, 43, revealed in July that the script for the third movie is still in development, though it has undergone a significant overhaul.
"The script that we were working on — we kind of had to start over with this new direction, which is not the update I think anybody wants — but we all feel really good that this is gonna be the one," Hathaway told Andy Cohen on SiriusXM. With Andrews firmly entrenched in her semi-retirement, the future of Mia Thermopolis’ story will have to unfold without the beloved matriarch, leaving us to wonder if the new direction can stand on its own two feet.
