In Disney’s Princess Diaries (2001), 15-year-old Mia Thermopolis finds out her father is the prince of Genovia, and that she is next in line to the throne.
Her grandmother, Queen Clarese, prepares her by giving her ‘princess lessons’, giving her books on languages, history, art and political science to study, teaching her to walk, talk, sit, stand, eat like a princess.
Within such a light-hearted film as this, there are some important lessons that I learnt regarding identity. We would do well to know who we really, and start living that fact, “for we are God’s masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Here are some classic lines from my favourite scenes in the movie.
Mia: Why on earth would you pick me to be your princess?
Queen: You are the natural heir to the throne of Genovia. I am royal by marriage, you are royal by blood. You can rule.
There is a verse in the Bible that says, “You are a chosen people, royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
“I don’t want to be a princess!” Mia tells Queen Clarese before running away
On quitting: Mia confides in Joseph, her bodyguard
Mia: I don’t want to rule a country. Can’t I just tell everyone that I simply quit?
Joseph: No one can quit being who they really are, not even a princess. Now, you can refuse the job, but you are a princess by birth.
Born to rule
In the very first book of the Bible, God makes it clear why he made human beings. He said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26)
It is clear that we were born to rule. That is the original intention of God, and we can’t quit being rulers of the world God has created.
Wan Phing Lim 