The Best Movies & TV Shows About Princess Diana, Ranked
To feed our ongoing global interest in Princess Diana, there are myriad TV shows and movies about her. Some are fictionalized reimaginings of what Diana's life was really like. Others, thanks to their documentary-based genre, follow a journalistic approach to the People's Princess. Both have their perks; the former is able to fantasize about what life was really like behind closed doors for Diana and others in her life. The latter can keep things as factual and accurate as possible.
Obviously, Netflix's "The Crown" made our list, thanks to its lively interpretation of Diana's life both as a young bride and later, highlighting her split from then-Prince Charles. The show was so convincing to viewers that Helena Bonham Carter, who played a middle-aged Princess Margaret, spoke about it on "The Crown's" podcast, (via Page Six). "It is dramatized. I do feel very strongly, because I think we have a moral responsibility to say, 'Hang on, guys, this is not ... it's not a drama-doc, we're making a drama.' So they are two different entities," she said. The confusion between art and life is an important one when watching fictionalized depictions of Diana's life, though it certainly speaks to the acting prowess of some of the stars who have played her! Some stories are fiction, and some are true. So with a plethora of Diana-centered things to watch, we've carefully curated a list of the best movies and documentaries that tell a part of her story.
The 2013 'Diana' film is good, not great
In 2013, director Oliver Hirschbiegel debuted "Diana," a biographical drama about the Princess of Wales starring Naomi Watts as the lead. The film was interesting in that it portrayed Diana after her divorce from then-Prince Charles, and focused on her relationship with the Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan. What makes "Diana" compelling is that this is one of the lesser-covered periods of her life, and the movie orbits around this secret relationship.
Any film that focuses on Princess Diana is an ambitious project, but "Diana" ultimately couldn't deliver in the ways that it hoped. It scored a measly 7% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences liked it only slightly more. The Guardian called it a "well-intentioned biopic," but said that the weak dialogue made Diana "look plastic and absurd." Even Watts admitted that "Diana" didn't work. "I got seduced by the fantastic character," Watts told Harper's Bazaar, (via Vanity Fair). "Diana did a lot of things that had positive and negative results. She was multifaceted. [...] But ultimately there were problems [with the film] and it ended up taking a direction that was not the one I was hoping for." Diehard fans of the princess might find "Diana" a unique watch, but overall, it's not the best depiction of the woman who contained multitudes.
Kristen Stewart's 'Spencer' got mixed reviews
CW: The following contains references to eating disorders.
In 2021, director Pablo Larraín debuted his film, "Spencer." The fact that he uses Diana's maiden name sets a tone for this telling as one that's separate from the royal family, in terms of her interior self. The setting places both Diana and the viewer in Sandringham House over Christmas, taking the princess into the heart of the royal family. Diana, in this telling, is literally a princess trapped in a castle, and Larraín takes his audience through the chilling horrors of what he perceived to be Diana's life as a member of the royal family after her relationship with Prince Charles deteriorated.
This is largely fictional, as it captures Diana's struggle with mental health issues as well as an eating disorder. Though those facets of her life are true — Diana spoke about her battle with bulimia — the film follows her torment behind closed doors, taking us into a private realm. While the film is visually spectacular, many reviews found the one-note tone of misery to be overwhelming, as if the film selfishly mined from Diana's struggles. Others didn't like Stewart as Diana, and felt as though she didn't capture the princess's charm.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).
Netflix's 'The Crown' gave us two Dianas
Perhaps the most famous depiction of Princess Diana came from Netflix's "The Crown." The popular series debuted Emma Corrin as a young Diana, portraying the last years of Diana's life through the skill of Elizabeth Debicki. Both actors do a marvelous job of interpreting Diana in different life phases, both within and apart from the royal family. However, there were a few complaints about Diana's placement within the series. For one, her presence on the show orbits specifically around her life as a woman in relationships. First is her marriage to then-Prince Charles, but even after they separate, the series focuses on her dynamic with Dodi Fayed. While these relationships existed historically, it might have been a richer, fuller story to give us glimpses of Diana the woman beyond a romance.
Following Diana's death, "The Crown" chose to keep Diana present in the storyline through ghost-like visits to both Charles and Queen Elizabeth II. It was this artistic choice that had viewers losing their minds. On Reddit's r/TheCrownNetflix, people ranted about what an odd choice it was. "Omg I thought the ghost thing was a joke!" one viewer wrote. "Oh god. I was so excited to see that a new season appeared ... but to bring Diana back as a ghost?? Oh my gosh ... no," another added. It felt gimmicky for such a stellar performance by Debicki. Nonetheless, "The Crown" is a must-see for Diana fans.
'Diana: In Her Own Words' Documentary is a marvel
In 2017, National Geographic released a documentary entitled "Diana: In Her Own Words." The documentary is largely based on the secret tapes that Princess Diana sent to journalist Andrew Morton that ended up becoming the building blocks of his biography "Diana: Her True Story." Since the voice recordings come directly from Diana, the documentary is one of the few ways in which fans and viewers can get the princess' real take on her own life. Rather than fictionalized, artistic interpretations of events, Diana gets to speak, which is why we treasure this documentary so much.
That also resonated with viewers. "Diana: In Her Own Words" earned a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. "Ranging from early childhood, to marriage with Prince Charles, the icy cold royal family, and divorce, Diana's voice interviews are sure to capture the audience paired with footage left behind from the royal family," one reviewer wrote. People also liked it as a companion to "The Crown." One Reddit reviewer on r/TheCrownNetflix wrote that the documentary added a richer perspective to Netflix's interpretation of Diana's life. "Wow. That documentary changed everything I felt after watching [The Crown]," they began. "I know it's only one side of the story, but there's plenty of evidence. Charles and the Queen should be ashamed imo." True, it's one side, but it's nice to hear Diana's side from her authentic self.
Our favorite: 'Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy'
We're a sucker for a family story. In 2017, Princes William and Harry marked the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana's death by creating "Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy." The documentary captures interviews not just with Diana's two sons, but also with her brother, Charles Spencer, and friends like Sir Elton John. Because it features her sons, there's something magical and heartbreaking about this portrayal of Diana. It strikes a chord of authenticity and shows the princess in her complicated glory, which is why it's our favorite.
Fans loved "Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy" as well. It scored 92% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and got rave reviews from The Guardian for its humanity and warmth. One of the tougher reviews came from the Los Angeles Times, which noted that it didn't offer much in the way of analysis, but forgave the documentary because William and Harry make up for that through the tender memories of their mother.
For fans of the current royal family, there wasn't much footage of daughter-in-law Catherine, Princess of Wales, and nothing of Meghan Markle. To be fair, she and Harry started dating in 2016, so it was likely too soon for her to make an appearance. However, for those who love Princess Diana's incredible fashion, there were some fun moments when her sons talked about her love of dressing up. It was a perfect homage to the late princess.
How we chose the best projects about Diana
With an abundance of TV shows and documentaries on Princess Diana, there was a lot of content to sift through. To ensure that we made the best recommendations at Women.com, we used a few key standards for our criteria. For one, we wanted Diana's voice to be as present as possible. This is why our two highest picks were documentaries rather than fictionalized representations of the princess's life. It's important that in retelling Diana's story, directors and filmmakers lean on her narrative as much as possible. However, in choosing pieces like "Spencer" and "The Crown," we wanted to honor the ambitious artistic reach of these projects. We also sourced critical reviews, and scanned reviews thanks to crowdsourcing, to get a balance of critical and fan reactions. These offered a subtext to the film or documentary to give us a sense of what was engaging but also what honored the memory of Diana.
Lastly, we were keenly interested in projects that showed Diana in the fullest scope of her life. Yes, she became famous thanks to her marriage to the then-Prince Charles, but she was such a magnetic person beyond her relationships. Certainly, her romances added a rich texture to her life, but we wanted projects that looked beyond this. In our final choice, "Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy," we chose the most important relationships in her life: the ones she had with her sons.