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Every few years, it feels like we get a new adaptation featuring the life of Princess Diana. Hollywood’s fascination with the late Princess of Wales has yet to subside even nearly 25 years after her death. In fact, curiosity has seemingly piqued, thanks in part to royal family drama and the success of streaming giant Netflix’s drama series The Crown. Now, with Kristen Stewart nabbing a best actress Oscar nomination for her role as Princess Diana in Pablo Larraín’s Spencer, these stories about Diana’s life feel more relevant than ever — and if you’re looking for a Diana binge, we have the best selection of movies about her royal life below.
Spencer, starring Kristen Stewart as the Lady Spencer herself, chronicles three days during the Christmas festivities with Diana and the royal family. During this time, Diana comes to realize that her marriage to Prince Charles is practically over, and she needs to move on from the royal family. It’s a psychological drama that imagines what Princess Diana must have endured during that time, but while this adaptation might be completely new in style and substance, it’s hardly the first to try and confront Diana as both a legend and human.
Films about Diana have chronicled her marriage, divorce, and the final days of her life. And we’ve rounded up seven films in addition to Spencer that take on their own re-telling of the people’s princess, which is well worth watching for any amateur Windsor scholar at home. Read on for our picks in honor of what would’ve been Diana’s 63rd birthday today.
A version of this article was originally published in November 2021.
‘Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story’ (1982)
Starring David Robb as Charles, Prince of Wales and Caroline Bliss as Lady Diana Spencer, the 1982 TV film Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story gave viewers a much-lighter look into the marriage. It followed their romance, dating, and wedding day; all in a more light-hearted manner that gave off fairytale vibes.
‘Diana: Her True Story’ (1993)
The 1993 TV film Diana: Her True Story stars Serena Scott Thomas as Princess Diana, and was based on the book of the same name as Andrew Morton; and followed her life behind the scenes like her battle with depression.
‘Whatever Love Means’ (2005)
The 2005 film Whatever Love Means is actually a love story mainly based on Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, and follows their story. Instead of what movies usually cover, Charles and Camilla are already in love, and then he meets Lady Diana Spencer. It is written more as a tragic love story, with Diana being portrayed as the other woman.
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‘Spencer’ (2021)
Image Credit: © Neon / Courtesy Everett Collection. The latest iteration of Princess Diana’s story comes courtesy of acclaimed director Pablo Larraín (Jackie). In this film, Kristen Stewart gives a lauded performance as Lady Spencer, who spends an arduous three days with the royal family during the Christmas holidays. It’s during these three days that Diana realizes she can no longer remain married to Prince Charles, and sets on a new path.
The film has earned rave reviews from critics, and Stewart has now been nominated for her first-ever Oscar for her performance.
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‘Diana: The Musical’ (2021)
Image Credit: © Netflix / courtesy Everett Collection. The entertainment industry may have gone a step too far with this adaptation of Diana’s story. Diana: The Musical made its debut on Netflix in October 2021, after previews on Broadway began that same year after start dates moved around due to the pandemic. Reviews for the filmed stage show haven’t been wholly positive. But if you’re interested to see what this version of Diana’s story looks like — and sounds like — you can stream it on Netflix.
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‘Diana’ (2013)
Image Credit: Laurie Sparham/©Entertainment One/courtesy Everett Collection. 2013’s Diana seemed like it had all of the elements to work. Oscar-nominated actress Naomi Watt’s as the late Princess of Wales, a side of the enigmatic royal we’d never seen, and more. But Diana fell very flat with critics, though some praised Watts’ efforts.
If you’re curious, you can watch it on Amazon.
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‘The Queen’ (2006)
Image Credit: ©Miramax/courtesy Everett Collection. While this movie didn’t star anyone to play Princess Diana in her lifetime, it did portray a different side of Diana’s story: how the royal dealt with her death. Starring Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II, the 2006 film The Queen follows the Queen and how she dealt with Diana’s death professionally and personally.
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‘Princess In Love’ (1996)
Image Credit: © CBS / Courtesy: Everett Collection. Another TV movie adaptation, 1996’s Princess In Love, is based on the 1995 book of the same name by Anna Pasternak. This CBS movie chronicled Diana’s affair with a former riding instructor. The TV movie is full of melodrama, including a moment where Cox, as Diana, goes up to the actress playing Camilla and says, “don’t you think it’s a bit crowded with three of us in this marriage, Camilla?” Wonder where that line came from.
You can watch it on Amazon.
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‘Diana: Her True Story’ (1993)
Image Credit: NBC/courtesy Everett Collection. NBC gave the TV movie treatment to Andrew Morton’s tell-all book Diana: Her True Story with this 1993 biopic. Serena Scott Thomas plays Princess Diana in this TV movie, while David Threlfall is her Prince Charles. Despite lacking a distinct resemblance to the late Princess Diana, Scott Thomas received positive reviews for her portrayal.
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‘The Women of Windsor’ (1992)
Image Credit: ©Samuels/courtesy Everett Collection. CBS aired The Women of Windsor in 1992. This take on Princess Diana also featured portrayals of House of Windsor women like Sarah, Duchess of York. The film posited two women who were outsiders to the royal family, but reviews found the interpretation of Diana fairly flat. Here is Sallyanne Law as Sarah, Duchess of York, Carolyn Sadowska as Queen Elizabeth II, and Nicola Formby as Princess Diana.
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‘Charles & Diana: Unhappily Ever After’ (1992)
Image Credit: ABC/courtesy Everett Collection. Roughly ten years after her first stint as the Princess of Wales, Catherine Oxenberg reprised the role of Diana in Charles & Diana: Unhappily Ever After, opposite Roger Rees as the Prince of Wales. This film featured the end of the couple’s marriage, and coincided with the speculation, scrutiny, and scandal that loomed over their respective lives.
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‘The Royal Romance of Charles & Diana’ (1982)
Image Credit: CBS/courtesy Everett Collection. The TV movie The Royal Romance of Charles & Diana, starring Catherine Oxenberg as Princess Diana and Christopher Baines as Prince Charles, debuted on CBS in 1982, not long after the couple got married. The CBS movie followed a young Diana in the time leading up to her marriage to Prince Charles. At the time, Diana was portrayed as innocent and guileless.
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