Mia Thermopolis

Amelia Thermopolis Renaldo
The Princess Diaries character
Mia as portrayed by Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries film.
First appearance	Book Series: The Princess Diaries Movie Series: The Princess Diaries
Last appearance	Book Series: Forever Princess Movie Series: The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Created by	Meg Cabot
Portrayed by	Anne Hathaway
Information
Aliases	Mia Thermopolis
Gender	Female
Occupation	Book Series: High School Student Author Movie Series: High School Student Queen of Genovia
Family	Book Series: Philippe, Crown Prince (father) Helen Thermopolis (mother) Clarisse Renaldo, Dowager Princess of Genovia (grandmother) Frank Gianini (step-father) Rocky Thermopolis-Gianini (half-brother) Movie Series: Helen Thermopolis (mother) Philippe Renaldo (father; deceased) Patrick O'Connell (step-father) Trevor Thermopolis-O'Connell (half-brother) Pierre Renaldo (uncle;unseen in the movies) Queen Clarisse Renaldi (grandmother)
Nationality	American and Genovian

Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo, Crown Princess of Genovia (named Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi in the film series), commonly known as Mia Thermopolis, is a fictional character and the protagonist of The Princess Diaries novels by Meg Cabot. The story revolves around her diary, which she writes in religiously, and her relationships with her best friend Lilly Moscovitz, her long-time boyfriend and "the love of her life" Michael Moscovitz, her grandmother, and others. She is the princess of fictional country Genovia, having been pushed into the title, being the sole heir.

Mia lives in a loft in Greenwich Village, with her mother, Helen Thermopolis, and her ginger cat, Fat Louie. Helen begins dating Mia's algebra teacher, Frank Gianini, during Mia's freshman year, and as the series develops Helen and Frank get married and have a child together. During the year she attends Albert Einstein High School, and spends her holidays in Miragnac, a castle in France.

Background

Mia's mother Helen is an upbeat artist who is featured various times in Art in America magazine. Helen's painting Woman Waiting for Price Check at the Grand Union won her a national award. Helen comes from a fairly simple, typical American background. Some of Mia's headstrong and modern opinions, including her feminism, come from Helen.

Mia thoroughly hates her Grandmère, Clarisse Renaldi, dowager princess of Genovia. Clarisse is one of the strangest grandmothers ever. She is constantly portrayed as a grumpy and picky woman. She is a key person in Mia's royal education. During her stays in New York Clarisse stays at the Plaza Suite with her toy poodle Rommel, which Mia also describes as a giant rat. She's a native French speaker, and lives in Miragnac, castle in southern France, surrounded by European socialites.

Phillipe, Mia's father, is the Genovian prince regnant. Phillipe shares a complicated relationship with his mother. He is Mia's secondary caregiver; he also pays for the loft's rent and Mia's school tuition. Phillipe is a survivor of testicular cancer. The chemotherapy and cancer caused him to become sterile which is why he acknowledged Mia as his heir.

Education

Albert Einstein High School is headed by Principal Gupta. The school makes various attempts to celebrate and encourage diversity, including the Cultural Diversity Dance in October and the Non-Denominational Winter Dance. The school has a very complete core-curriculum and prides itself in its gifted students. Mia is often sarcastic towards her placement in the Gifted & Talented class, claiming she was put there to improve her lowly grade in Algebra. The teacher in charge of G & T is Mrs. Hill, who spends class time in the teacher's lounge across the hall. The mascot of Albert Einstein High is the Lion. At the end of the novel series Mia completes high school and moves on to Sarah Lawrence College.

In the final book, Forever Princess, Mia becomes a published author, having written the book Ransom My Heart, and begins what she believes is her true career.

Mia in the Films

Mia was portrayed in the films by Anne Hathaway, in what would prove to be her breakthrough role.

Differences between the movies and the books

• In the movie Michael shows that he likes Mia, but in the book she is the one who likes him (He actually liked her the whole time in the books, he just did not tell her until the third book).
• In the books, Mia lives in New York City; in the movie, she lives in San Francisco.
• In the book, Mia's mom meets and marries her algebra teacher, Frank Gianini. In the movie, Mia's mom meets and marries her debate teacher, Patrick O'Connell.
• Perin, Tina, Shameeka, Ling Su, and J.P. are significant characters in the book series who do not appear in the films. (Later novels refer to "unofficial" films made about Mia, and some of the characters joke about the inaccuracies.)
• Boris's character in the books is replaced with Jeremiah Hart in the film.
• At the beginning of the second film, Mia is 21 and has graduated from college. In the last book, Mia graduates from high school.
• The name of Mia's baby brother in the books is Rocky; in the film it is Trevor.
• In the books Mia only spends her Christmas and summer vacations in Genovia, whereas the first film ends with her moving there.
• Mia's bodyguard in the books is called Lars, and he notoriously follows her everywhere she goes. In the films she is watched over by Joe, Genovia's head of security.
• In the books, Mia's father Phillipe is part of his daughter's life but only reveals his princely role when he recovers from testicular cancer and knows he will not be able to father any more children. In the films Mia has rarely seen her father, and it is his premature death that prompts her discovery of his royal role.
• In the books, Lana has only one friend, Trisha; in the movie, her friends are Anna and Fontana.
• In the books, Lana is called Lana Weinberger, but in the film she is called Lana Thomas.
• In the books, Josh is called Josh Richter, but in the film he is called Josh Bryant.
• In the books, Fat Louie has orange fur; in the movie, he is black and white.
• In the books, her grandmother's dog is named Rommel; in the films his name is Maurice.
• In the books, Mia's grandmother (called Grandmère by Mia) is quite mean and bossy, but in the movie, she is kinder and more loving.
• In the books Mia is a dirty blonde, but in the movies, she is a brunette.
• In the books Phillipe is an only child; in the first movie, Clarisse mentions her other son Pierre, who gave up his rights to the throne to join the Church.
• In the books, Genovia is a principality, not a kingdom; Mia's title is accordingly Her Serene Highness Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo, Sovereign Princess of Genovia rather than Her Majesty Queen Amelia.
  • In the movie, Mia's grandmother is a queen, but as Genovia is a principality in the books, her title is dowager princess.
• The book series ends when Mia decides to attend Sarah Lawrence College, whereas the second movie opens with Mia graduating from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School.
• Principal Gupta is the school's head principal in the books; in the movie, she is a vice-principal.
• In the book Mia has grey eyes, while in the film she has brown eyes.
• In the book Mia calls her grandmother Grandmère and in the movie she calls her Grandma.
• In the book, it is shown that Mia writes in her diary at the very beginning of the series. In the movie, Mia only starts writing in her diary at the end of the movie and she is not really shown writing in it during the second movie.
• In the book Mia's last name is Renaldo but in the movies it is Renaldi.
• In the book Mia doesn't wear glasses, but she does in the movies.
• In the book she lives in a loft but in the movies she lives in a refurbished firehouse.
• The plot that requires Mia to marry in order to become Queen of Genovia in the second film is an invention for that release; nowhere in the books is such a law referred to for Genovia's ruler.
• In the books, Michael's band, Skinner Box, disbands, and he later works on creating a robotic surgical arm that would save millions of lives. In the second movie, however, he is no longer with Mia because of his band.
• In the books the next heir to the throne after Mia is her second cousin Sebastien, her grandfather's sister's grandson. In the second film the new character of Nicholas Deveraux is introduced as the next in line.
• In the Movie, Mia's full name is Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi, but in the books it is Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo.
• In the books, Lilly's show is called Lilly Tells It Like It Is. In the movie, it's called Shut Up and Listen.
• In the book, she can speak French, but in the movie, it does not show that she speak French, as to she calls her grandmother Grandmere but in the movies she calls her Grandma.
• Mia's mother and Mr.G have their child through wedlock in the book. In the movie the baby comes after a wedding.

Flings and romantic relationships (book series)

Boy	Status	Start Up	Broke Up	Reason
Josh Richter	Kissed; one date	The Princess Diaries		Josh just used her for media spotlight.
Kenneth "Kenny" Showalter	Boyfriend	Volume II: Princess in the Spotlight	Volume III: Princess in Love	Mia was in love with Michael since "second Grade when he handed Lilly her Project (red play dough parthenon a mini replica) at the playground".
Michael Moscovitz	Boyfriend	Volume III: Princess in Love	Volume VIII: Princess on the Brink	Before Michael leaves for Japan, Mia finds out that he slept with Judith Gershner (in a past relationship) but then realizes her mistake but it's too late; Michael is on the plane.
		Volume X: Forever Princess	-
John Paul (J.P.) Reynolds Abernathy the Fourth	Boyfriend	Volume IX: Princess Mia	Volume X: Forever Princess	J.P just used her for media spotlight and because he lied a lot to her and dated (and subsequently dumped) her friend Lilly to get to Mia.

External links

• The official website for Mia Thermopolis
• I Hate Mia Thermopolis.com (In the series, the website is set up by Mia's then ex-best friend, Lilly, while they are fighting in book 9.)
• The Princess Diaries page on Meg Cabot's website.