"Elite Daily" contributor Alana Altmann described the film as "a bonafide fave of '90s and 2000s kids alike". Writing for the same publication, Kristen Perrone called the film "an essential part of the childhoods of anyone who grew up in the early 2000s". Andrews attributes the film's longevity to the notion that a new generation discovers it "every seven years". The actress believes the film continues to resonate with audiences "because it’s got a wonderful heart. It’s about responsibility and obligation and decency and growing up and discovering who you are inside." "Seventeen" ranked "The Princess Diaries" the 10th best "Best Teen Movies You Can't Grow Up Without Watching". The scene in which Mia undergoes a physical makeover has garnered significant attention, with several media publications ranking it among the greatest makeover sequences in film history. E! contributor McKenna Aiello identified the montage as "the first scene that comes to mind" when remembering "The Princess Diaries", a sentiment with which "InStyle" agreed. Lauren Hubbard, writing for "Allure", believes the film "may very well be one of the single greatest makeover movies of our generation", publishing a list of "11 Beauty Lessons We Learned from "The Princess Diaries"". "Cosmopolitan"'s Eliza Thompson wrote "Few makeover movies hold up as well as "The Princess Diaries"". Katie Rosseinsky of "Grazia" credits the film with introducing "one of the best makeover sequences in teen movie history" while teaching "excellent life lessons". Ranking it second, "Her Campus" hailed the scene as "the best teenage makeover ever". Total Beauty ranked the montage ninth, dubbing it the "Best Hair Movie Makeover".