Julie Andrews has resurfaced for the first time in three years, making an appearance at the seventh annual World Parkinson’s Congress conference via video message.
Over the weekend, the beloved actress made her long-awaited return to public life while supporting a cause close to her heart.
The 90-year-old introduced herself before welcoming the conference’s attendees, telling them: “Your participation is invaluable as we seek to find a cure to this terrible disease.”
“I know well how devastating it can be. May we all become a beacon of light to stop it in its tracks.”
More than 10 million people are currently living with Parkinson’s disease across the globe, making it the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world.
A source close to Andrews revealed to Woman’s Day that the life-altering disease is a deeply personal cause for the film icon.
“She has several friends going through Parkinson’s,” the insider said.
“She loves popping up every now and then for a good cause.”
Andrews last showed her face in March 2023 when she attended her close friend Carol Burnett’s TV special, titled: Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love.
However, while she has mostly retreated from public life, the insider assured fans that she is “incredibly fit and healthy”.
“At 90, of course she has her usual aches and pains and prefers the comforts of home, but she’s doing wonderfully.”
Andrews has not been without her challenges over the years, enduring a massive career pivot when she lost her singing voice following a procedure gone wrong.
Known for her musical performances in Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, the leading lady underwent surgery in 1997 to remove noncancerous nodules on her vocal cords.
However, when she woke up from the procedure she discovered she had lost her four-octave vocal range and was left with a raspy voice.
“I went into a depression. It felt like I’d lost my identity,” she told AARP The Magazine in 2022.
Andrews didn’t let the complication hold her back, finding much success in films, such as her role as the Queen of Genovia in The Princess Diaries franchise, and even writing a number of children’s books.
“So along came a brand-new career in my mid-60s. Boy, was that a lovely surprise,” she said.
“But do I miss singing,” Andrews added. “Yes. I really do.”