Julie Andrews uses walking stick as she makes rare public appearance following fan concerns

Dame Julie Andrews' fans were no doubt delighted to see the star out and about this week, as she enjoyed a shopping trip in The Hamptons. 

The legendary theatre and film actress, whose best-known credits include Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music and The Princess Diaries, was photographed using a walking stick to help her get about. 

Julie, 88, was accompanied by a friend who helped her into her car, and appeared to be in good spirits. 

© Matt Agudo / SplashNews.com

The multi-talented star wore a white top and matching jacket over black trousers and trainers, accessorising with gold and blue earrings and keeping her cropped hair in its signature short style. 

The Oscar-winner hadn't been seen in public for seven months prior to her outing in New York state. 

© Matt Agudo / SplashNews.com

Back in September, she was spotted walking locally as she enjoyed some fresh air. Her last public event was early last year, when she attended the star-studded 90th birthday celebration of iconic actress Carol Burnett. 

A couple of months, ago, though, she had a major update for fans when she announced the sad news that she believes another sequel to the Princess Diaries movies, in which Julie starred opposite Anne Hathaway, has been "shelved". 

© Rex

As part of an interview with Today, the British-born actress reflected: "There was dialogue about it [but] nothing had been realised. And I think I may be wrong, but I think it's been shelved now. I can't be sure." 

However, when the kind-hearted star was offered the chance to perform a cameo in Mary Poppins Returns, the sequel to her 1964 smash hit, in which she starred with Dick Van Dyke, the Hollywood icon turned it down, to allow Emily Blunt to shine as the only Mary on screen. 

© Ron Galella

In an interview with Vanity Fair last year, she explained why she loved the original film so much, commenting that it was the Sherman Brothers' brilliant songs that drew her to the movie – in large part because they reminded her of her origins. 

"It was a brand new thing in my life that I'd never done before," she said. "It was for Walt Disney, of course, and the songs in Mary Poppins had a kind of Vaudeville quality to them. 

© ABC Photo Archives

"I think it's what attracted me to the role, because all that kind of 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' and 'Jolly Holiday' music was very much like the kind of things that you hear in English vaudeville." 

Born in Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, the angel-voiced performer made her Broadway debut in The Boy Friend at the age of just 19 in 1954, appearing with Bing Crosby in the television film High Tor the following year. 

© Jay Maidment/Walt Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock

She went on to play Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady on Broadway but the role was famously taken on by Audrey Hepburn in the film adaptation, leaving Julie free to act in Mary Poppins – for which she won rave reviews and snagged the Oscar. 

Married to director Blake Edwards from 1969 until his death in 2010, the couple shared two daughters. Julie was also stepmother to Blake's children and has a daughter from her previous marriage, author, director, and actress Emma Walton Hamilton, 61.