The Princess Diaries 2 - The Royal Engagement, the sequel to the 2001 sleeper hit, is a thinly-veiled facsimile of the first film.
The original cast members reprise their roles and director Garry Marshall once again steps behind the camera, while the storyline skips through similar romantic entanglements and political intrigues, en route to another happy ending.
Five years have passed since Princess Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) learned of her royal lineage.
Having accepted her role as the heir apparent to the tiny European principality of Genovia, Mia moves into the royal palace with her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews).
No sooner has the young woman settled into her plush, newly-decorated quarters than she learns that she must prepare herself to govern.
However, there is a fly in the regal ointment.
According to ancient Genovian law, princesses must be married before being crowned.
With just 30 days before her coronation, Mia must find a suitable husband and walk down the aisle - or forfeit her birthright to scheming Lord Nicholas Devereaux and his uncle, Viscount Mabrey.
Reluctantly, Mia agrees to a potential match with Lord Andrew Jacoby, a British aristocrat with impeccable manners and good breeding, who should set dear Mia's heart aflame.
Unfortunately, she is magnetically- drawn to bad boy Nicholas, painfully aware that his overtures are part of an underhand scheme to steal her crown.
Except, Nicholas has fallen for Mia too and he is struggling to reconcile his attraction with his uncle's underhand designs on the throne.
The Princess Diaries 2 - The Royal Engagement conceals few surprises: we know with absolute certainty which future husband Mia will choose.
Equally, there is no doubt that Viscount Mabrey's Machiavellian scheme will be foiled at the last minute to clear the way for Mia's reign.
Hathaway still possesses a freshness and sparkle that compels us to root for Mia as she struggles to cling on to her crown and Andrews exudes a regal calm.
If you enjoyed the first Princess Diaries, then The Royal Engagement delivers everything that you expect; but regrettably, nothing more.
