Princess Diana was one of the most beloved and iconic figures of the 20th century. Her life story is one of fairy tale romance, heartbreak, resilience, and tragedy that has captivated the world for decades. It’s no surprise then that her story has been the subject of numerous films and documentaries over the years, each trying to capture a piece of the magic and mystery that made Diana so special.
As someone who has always been fascinated by the late Princess of Wales, I’ve watched many of these movies and documentaries over the years. Some are better than others at portraying the real Diana – her charm, her vulnerabilities, her strength. But all of them offer a glimpse into the life of this remarkable woman who left an indelible mark on the world.
So without further ado, here are my picks for the 15 best movies about Princess Diana that bring her incredible story to life:
1. Spencer (2021)
Spencer is the most recent and perhaps most ambitious attempt to portray Princess Diana on film. Directed by Pablo Larraín and starring Kristen Stewart in the title role, the movie is set over a three-day period during Christmas 1991, as Diana grapples with the decision to end her marriage to Prince Charles.
Rather than a straightforward biopic, Spencer is more of a psychological drama that imagines what Diana’s inner life may have been like during this tumultuous time. Stewart’s performance is mesmerizing, capturing Diana’s vulnerability, defiance, and charm. The cinematography and score create a dreamlike, almost surreal atmosphere.
While the film takes creative liberties, it offers a compelling portrait of a woman on the brink, suffocating under the weight of royal expectations and a loveless marriage. Spencer is a haunting, poetic tribute to the People’s Princess.
2. The Crown (2016-present)
Okay, so technically The Crown is a TV series, not a movie. But no list about portrayals of Princess Diana would be complete without mentioning this hugely popular Netflix drama about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
Diana is introduced in season 4, played brilliantly by newcomer Emma Corrin. Over the course of 10 episodes, we see Diana transform from a shy, naive 19-year-old into the most famous woman in the world, all while navigating the challenges of royal life and a troubled marriage.
Corrin perfectly captures Diana’s vulnerability, charm and growing confidence. Some of the season’s most powerful moments involve Diana’s battle with bulimia and her feelings of isolation and loneliness within the royal family.
In seasons 5 and 6, Elizabeth Debicki will take over the role of Diana, covering the last years of her life. If Corrin’s performance is any indication, Debicki is sure to be spectacular in showing the tragedy and triumphs of Diana’s later years.
3. Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy (2017)
This touching documentary features candid interviews with Diana’s sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, speaking publicly for the first time about their mother and the impact she had on their lives.
Interspersed with never-before-seen family photos and archival footage, the princes share personal memories of their fun-loving, down-to-earth mother. They also reflect on her pioneering charity work and how her empathy and compassion touched the lives of so many.
Diana, Our Mother is a moving tribute from the people who knew and loved Diana best. More than anything, it shows the very human side of the Princess – as a devoted mother determined to give her sons as normal an upbringing as possible despite the fishbowl of royal life.
4. The Queen (2006)
The Queen is not about Diana per se, but rather the impact her death had on the royal family and the British public. Helen Mirren won an Oscar for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, grappling with how to respond to the overwhelming outpouring of grief in the wake of the tragedy.
Though Diana herself is not depicted, her presence is felt throughout as the royals are forced to confront the ways in which they failed her. Mirren is brilliant in conveying the Queen’s stoicism and inner turmoil as she navigates this unprecedented crisis.
For anyone interested in understanding Diana’s complicated relationship with the royal family and her lasting impact, The Queen is essential viewing. It shows how one woman’s life and death fundamentally changed an ancient institution.
5. Diana (2013)
Naomi Watts takes on the daunting task of portraying Princess Diana in this biopic focused on the last two years of her life. The film depicts her secret love affair with Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan and her campaign against landmines.
While Watts gives a committed performance, capturing Diana’s poise and vulnerability, the film itself is a bit of a mess. The dialogue is clunky, the plot meanders, and it often feels more like a cheesy romance novel than a serious biopic.
Still, for die-hard Diana fans, it’s worth watching for Watts’ performance and the lavish costumes and sets that recreate Diana’s world. Just don’t expect a nuanced or revelatory portrait of the late princess.
6. Diana, 7 Days (2017)
This fascinating documentary chronicles the week following Diana’s shocking death in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. Using archival footage and interviews with Diana’s staff, friends, and journalists, it shows how the royal family, the British government, and the public responded to the tragedy.
Some of the most illuminating moments involve the behind-the-scenes discussions between newly elected Prime Minister Tony Blair and Queen Elizabeth about how to handle Diana’s funeral. The documentary also highlights the unprecedented outpouring of public grief, with millions leaving flowers and tributes outside Kensington and Buckingham Palaces.
Diana, 7 Days is a compelling look at a country in mourning and the complex web of politics, emotion, and protocol surrounding the death of the People’s Princess. It’s a reminder of just how deeply Diana touched people around the world.
7. Diana: Her True Story (1993)
Based on the controversial 1992 biography by Andrew Morton, this TV movie was made with Diana’s secret cooperation while she was still married to Prince Charles. Serena Scott Thomas stars as the princess, unhappily married and battling bulimia and depression behind palace walls.
The film depicts Charles as cold and uncaring, continuing his affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles, while a lonely Diana self-harms and makes several suicide attempts. It’s a bleak but intimate portrait of a woman trapped in a gilded cage.
While its depictions of Charles and the royal family are unsparing, Diana: Her True Story ultimately feels more sad than salacious. It’s a reminder that beneath the glitz and glamour, Diana was a vulnerable young woman struggling to find her place in an often unforgiving world.
8. The Story of Diana (2017)
This two-part documentary from ABC and People magazine is a comprehensive look at Diana’s life and legacy. Using archival footage and interviews with those who knew her, it traces her journey from shy kindergarten teacher to global icon.
Some of the most interesting insights come from Diana’s brother Charles Spencer, her biographer Andrew Morton, and her former bodyguard Ken Wharfe. They paint a picture of a complex, multifaceted woman who was both fragile and strong, traditional and rebellious.
The Story of Diana covers all the major milestones of her life – her troubled childhood, her fairy tale wedding, her painful marriage and divorce, her humanitarian work, and her tragic death. But it also captures the essence of who she was as a person – warm, mischievous, intuitive, and deeply empathetic.
9. Diana: In Her Own Words (2017)
This documentary is built around secret video recordings Diana made with her voice coach in the early 1990s, never intended for public consumption. In them, she speaks candidly about her unhappy marriage, her battle with bulimia, her affairs, and her fraught relationship with the royal family.
Hearing Diana’s own voice describe the pain and turmoil she experienced is incredibly powerful and moving. She is by turns sad, angry, sarcastic, and defiant as she details the ways in which she felt trapped and misunderstood.
Interwoven with the recordings is archival footage of Diana’s public life, creating a poignant contrast between her glamorous image and her private struggles. Diana: In Her Own Words is as close as we’ll likely ever get to an autobiography from the princess herself.
10. Diana: The Day Britain Cried (2017)
This ITV documentary focuses on the extraordinary events of September 6, 1997 – the day of Diana’s funeral. Using news footage and interviews with key participants, it provides a minute-by-minute account of the day that brought Britain to a standstill.
From the solemn procession through London’s streets to the star-studded funeral service at Westminster Abbey, the documentary captures the pomp and raw emotion of the occasion. It also delves into the behind-the-scenes tensions between the royal family, Diana’s family, and the government over the handling of the funeral arrangements.
But perhaps most moving are the interviews with ordinary Britons who lined the streets or watched at home, united in their grief for a woman most had never met but felt a deep connection to. Diana: The Day Britain Cried is a testament to the profound impact she had on the hearts of people around the world.
11. Princess in Love (1996)
Based on Anna Pasternak’s book of the same name, this TV movie depicts Diana’s alleged affair with cavalry officer James Hewitt (Christopher Villiers). Julie Cox stars as the princess, trapped in a loveless marriage and seeking comfort in the arms of the dashing Hewitt.
The film is pretty soapy and melodramatic, playing up the romance-novel aspects of the story. But Cox does a decent job of capturing Diana’s vulnerability and her yearning for love and affection.
Of course, the real-life affair ended badly, with Hewitt collaborating on Pasternak’s tell-all book and forever branded a cad for selling out the princess. Princess in Love is a reminder of the intense scrutiny Diana faced over her personal life, even as her marriage fell apart.
12. Diana: Last Days of a Princess (2007)
This docudrama from TLC and the BBC is a minute-by-minute account of the final weeks of Diana’s life, leading up to her fatal car crash in Paris. Genevieve O’Reilly stars as Diana, with Patrick Baladi as Dodi Fayed, the man she was romantically involved with at the time of her death.
Using a mix of scripted scenes and news footage, the film chronicles Diana’s last public appearances, her Mediterranean cruise with Dodi and his family, and her attempts to evade the paparazzi in Paris. It also depicts the frantic efforts of doctors to save her life after the crash.
While it occasionally veers into maudlin territory, Diana: Last Days of a Princess is a well-crafted and suspenseful account of a life cut tragically short. It’s a sobering reminder of the relentless media attention that ultimately contributed to Diana’s untimely death.
13. Unlawful Killing (2011)
This controversial documentary, directed by actor Keith Allen and funded by Mohamed Al-Fayed (Dodi’s father), presents an alternate theory of what happened the night of Diana’s death. It alleges that she and Dodi were murdered in a plot involving the British establishment and MI6.
The film relies heavily on discredited conspiracy theories and questionable sources, making some pretty outrageous claims along the way. It was panned by critics and only received a limited release due to legal concerns.
While Unlawful Killing is far from a reliable account of Diana’s death, it’s an interesting artifact of the many conspiracy theories that have swirled around the tragedy for decades. For those fascinated by the mystery and intrigue surrounding Diana’s final days, it’s worth a watch – just take it with a very large grain of salt.
14. Diana: A Tribute to the People’s Princess (1998)
This TV movie aired just a year after Diana’s death, when the wound was still very fresh for the British public. It stars Amy Seccombe as the princess, tracing her life from her childhood through her marriage, divorce, and untimely passing.
Given the quick turnaround, the film feels a bit rushed and superficial, hitting the major beats of Diana’s life without much depth or nuance. Seccombe looks the part but doesn’t quite capture Diana’s charisma or complexity.
Still, as an early attempt to memorialize the princess, Diana: A Tribute to the People’s Princess has its merits. It’s a reminder of how deeply her loss was felt around the world and the enduring fascination with her story.
15. Diana: The Musical (2021)
Last but not least is this filmed version of the Broadway musical about Diana’s life, released on Netflix before its official opening. With music and lyrics by David Bryan and Joe DiPietro, the show is a glitzy, over-the-top take on the princess’s story.
Jeanna de Waal stars as Diana, with Roe Hartrampf as Prince Charles and Erin Davie as Camilla Parker-Bowles. The show traces their love triangle from Diana and Charles’ first meeting through their unhappy marriage and eventual divorce.
The musical takes some liberties with the facts and often feels more like a campy soap opera than a serious biopic. But it has its charms, with catchy tunes and flashy production numbers that capture the glamour and spectacle of Diana’s life.
Diana: The Musical may not be the most nuanced or accurate portrayal of the princess, but it’s a fun, frothy tribute to her enduring legacy. If you’re a fan of musical theater or just looking for a lighthearted take on Diana’s story, it’s worth checking out.
So there you have it – my picks for the 15 best movies about Princess Diana. From serious biopics to campy musicals, these films offer a range of perspectives on the life and legacy of one of the most iconic women of our time.
Whether you’re a die-hard Diana fan or just curious to learn more about her story, there’s something here for everyone. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and get ready to be transported into the magical, tragic, and endlessly fascinating world of the People’s Princess.
