In the early 2000s, Julie Andrews as Mia Thermopolis and Queen Clarisse Renaldi. The film followed Mia as she learned that through her father, she is the princess and heir to the small country Genovia.
Around the same time, the WB found success with Amy Sherman-Palladino’s series they worked through the highs and lows of life. Despite wildly different premises and formats, Gilmore Girls and The Princess Diaries have more in common than most think.
Estranged Relatives From Life of Luxury
Because Lorelai fled from her parents shortly after Rory was born, Rory didn't see her grandparents much outside of major holidays before the series begins. When the estranged relatives reunite, they quickly bond, and Emily and Richard introduce Rory to the high society life — which she fits into well, surprising both her and Lorelai.
Mia has little connection to her father's side of the family. Her parents separated when she was young and he was never a major part of her life, least of all her grandmother — but once she does, Mia is brought into the life of royalty.
Private School Tuition
The entire reason Lorelai re-enters her parents' life is that she needs aide in paying for Rory's private school tuition at Chilton to ensure Rory can live the life she wants.
In the first film, after Lily bad-mouths Mia's absent (and recently deceased) father, Mia defends him with a quick line of dialogue that reveals he also paid for her full tuition at her school.
Dream Car
Mia is obsessed with her run-down blue Mustang, which spends the majority of the first film at the local repair shop where Lily's brother, Michael, works tirelessly on it — even working after hours to get it fixed for Mia.
Similarly, for most of her time at Chilton, Rory uses the bus to get from Stars Hollow to school. Her boyfriend Dean restores an older blue model car for her to get back and forth on (until she and Jess get into an accident avoiding an animal in the street).
Single Mom
Lorelai is one of the protagonists of the Gilmore Girls, so fans get to see as much of her life as they do Rory's. Lorelai is an eccentric, independent woman who would do anything for her daughter, but also makes plenty of mistakes along the way.
Mia's mother, Helen, doesn't get nearly as much screentime or focus as Lorelai does, since by and large the Princess Diaries films mostly focus on Mia and Clarisse. However, Helen is a warm, ive, and whimsy woman who would likely get along well with Lorelai due to shared life experience.
Decorations
Gilmore Girls is known for its cozy energies, and that is largely due to the set decorations. Stars Hollow is always busy, full of bright and warm colors, and Lorelai's house is a prime example of that, full of blues and yellows and fun knick-knacks.
Mia and Helen's apartment is also full of yellows and blues, with a smattering of Helen's art pieces. The place feels very early 2000s, but it easily shares the same cozy vibe as the Gilmore house.
Boyfriend Upgrade
Rory's first boyfriend is Dean Forester, a small-town family-oriented guy that was far from a perfect significant other (to put it mildly). However, they eventually broke up because Rory had fallen for Luke's nephew, Jess. Although his and Rory's friendship had a rocky start, they understood each other perfectly and raised each other up.
Mia winds up with Lily's brother, Michael at the end of the first film, but the relationship has already ended by the second film, where she meets Nicholas. The two are the picture-perfect example of rivals-to-lovers, but by the time the second film reaches its end, it's obvious that Mia and Nicholas are equals who understand and each other.
The Step-Teacher
In season one, Lorelai begins to date one of Rory's teachers, Max Medina. The two share the same wit, and Max gets along well with Rory, so it isn't long before the relationship grows serious enough for Max to pop the question in the season one finale.
When Helen goes to talk with Mia's teacher, Patrick O'Connell, they wind up making plans for a date. This relationship blossoms into a second marriage for Helen, and even results in Mia having a younger brother named Trevor.
The Underdog
When Rory first attends Chilton, it quickly becomes obvious that it’s different from Stars Hollow High. Much as she’d like to be invisible, every kid in school notices her — from Tristian, who nicknames her Mary for being a goody-goody, and Paris who immediately decides Rory is a rival.
Up until it’s leaked to the media that she’s a real-life princess, Mia is practically invisible at school. She fades so much into the background, it’s a regular occurrence for another student to sit on her without realizing it. Where Rory had to deal with Paris, Madeline and Louise mostly in private, Mia has to contend with popular girl Lana, who enjoys humiliating and mocking her whenever she gets the chance (often publicly)
Dates Gone Awry
When Rory invites Dean to her school dance, it starts off as a magical night until the two sit down in Miss Patty's to read a book together — and fall asleep, leaving Emily and Lorelai to assume the worst that Rory slept with Dean, resulting in a massive fight between Emily and Lorelai and then Lorelai and Rory.
When a boy Mia likes offers to take her to a beach party, Mia gladly accepts. However the night is quickly ruined when the paparazzi find Mia, and her schoolmates humiliate her in front of the cameras. Clarisse initially believes the picture painted by the media and scolds Mia for the ordeal.
School Uniforms
Rory is accepted into Chilton in the first episode of Gilmore Girls and spends a large portion of the first three seasons in the school uniform, which consists of a light blue button-up, a navy blazer, and a blue plaid skirt (though there are some alternative uniforms Rory sports).
While attending Grove High School in the first film, Mia and her friend Lily sport nearly identical uniforms to Rory’s Chilton appearance. Mia’s uniform doesn’t get as much variety as Rory’s did, and fans don’t see the outfit quite as much.