Review: The Princess
Princess Diana's story is told exclusively through contemporaneous archive creating a bold and immersive narrative of her life and death. It also illuminates how the public's attitude to the monarchy was, and still is.
“I remember thinking what a very jolly and amusing and attractive 16 year old she was.”
These words spoken by Prince Charles back in 1981 should have been an alarming answer to everyone, yet, with the bias the British people have towards the royals have been engraved into their minds for centuries. I for one, pride myself in my unbiased views towards the royals my entire life. However, one royal always stuck out to me, Princess Diana. A young innocent girl manipulated & kept into a marriage of distrust, mental abuse from not only her husband, but her entire family.
This documentary is entirely told through archival footage & recordings, a decision I was deeply interested in. It gave so much more perspective than I had consumed in previous Diana interpretations and documentaries. We are all from the eyes of the people, how they view the royals and most importantly, Diana. Everyone loved her, except the people who she thought would. So much of her life was documented, that both comes as a tragedy and a blessing. I wish she never felt this way, I wish the cameras went away when Diana wanted them to most. But without it, she wouldn’t be able to tell her story, to expose the truth of herself and her family.
Princess Diana was a princess, but not royalty, not in heart. Possibly one of the only ones with a heart. No one was less than her, everyone the same & she never treated anyone differently. No matter the race, sexual orientation, gender or illness, she was there beside them when royalty wasn’t.
One of the strongest aspects of this perfectly paced documentary was the astonishing score, it’s deeply sad & incredibly powerful. Diana didn’t talk as much as one would expect, and here the music and the archival recordings do the talking for her. Being one of the people. But there is no denying of how damaging the people were too, specifically the media. When she thinks she’s alone, there is a camera lens trapping her inside. Trapped within a piece of film sat inside the royal families palace of privilege.
I could discuss my love and appreciation for Princess Diana all week, but I leave with you with the deepest urge for you to watch this. It couldn’t be presented in a more impactful way than this.
