A New Documentary Will Show A Different Side Of Princess Diana's Life
One of the biggest revelations in Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Oprah interview came when the Duke of Sussex admitted he had to escape the royal family to protect his wife from perishing as his mother did. Marie Claire notes that Prince Harry confirmed he and Meghan got little to no support from the monarchy when it came to handling the British tabloid media, and their consistent lies about the couple. He elaborated further during a subsequent chat with the talk show host, for Apple TV+ series "The Me You Can't See," making his most deep-seated fears abundantly clear (via Evening Standard).
Per The Independent, the duke revealed that when the Duchess of Sussex was at her lowest point, and he worried about losing her, he reasoned, "I then had a son, who I'd far rather be solely focused on, rather than every time I look in his eyes wondering whether my wife is going to end up like my mother and I'm gonna have to look after him myself." The prince explained, "That was one of the biggest reasons to leave."
Harry continued, "Feeling trapped and feeling controlled through fear both by the media and by the system itself, which never encouraged the talking about this kind of trauma." He learned a lot growing up in the blinding spotlight of his late mother's fame. Now, a new documentary delves into exactly how tough it was for Diana at the height of her notoriety.
The Princess delves deep into Diana's relationship with the media
The first trailer for HBO's "The Princess" has landed, and the upcoming documentary clearly isn't pulling any punches. According to People, Ed Perkins' movie, which is due to drop on August 13, utilizes archival audio and video footage of the late Princess Diana to take a no-holds-barred look at her difficult relationship with the British tabloid media.
"The Princess" follows Diana from her early days with Prince Charles, through their very public divorce, and finally the beloved royal's untimely death at the age of just 36. Per HBO, the "intensely emotional" documentary "is a visceral submersion into Diana's life in the constant and often intrusive glare of the media spotlight." They added, "The film unfolds as if it were in the present, allowing viewers to experience the overwhelming adoration, but also intense scrutiny of Diana's every move and the constant judgment of her character." The focus is also reflected back on the attitudes of the time. "The Princess" follows "Spencer," for which star Kristen Stewart was Oscar-nominated.
As Kristen Stewart argued in an interview with The Guardian, "Diana was a frustrating person, a divisive person, but there were a lot of people that were truly just taken, and in love with her, unbeknown to her; and ironically, she was also somebody who was deeply rejected." Thus, "The Princess" is destined to further excavate that complicated dynamic, and how it impacted our perception of Diana alongside her own destructive self-image.
The press' mistreatment of Diana has been back in the news lately
"The Princess" is emerging at a fascinating time, considering Princess Diana's infamous interview with Martin Bashir is once again in the spotlight. Town & Country notes that the BBC has promised never to air it again, while William and Harry's former nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, received a settlement and public apology for her part in the central manipulation required to obtain the interview. In an essay for Mail Plus, Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, took aim at "the appalling, deceitful conduct of those pursuing the interview."
He reiterated how Bashir originally made contact with him and told the royal "a series of tales so extraordinary that, as soon as he left, I called 'Panorama's executive producer, who confirmed it was all true and that I could trust Mr. Bashir." Spencer acknowledged he felt "groomed" and "deceived" by the process. Prince William, meanwhile, is still feeling the repercussions of the interview.
In fact, according to the Sunday Times, the Duke of Cambridge believes the BBC needs to go further with its investigation into what actually happened since William believes his mother was heavily manipulated by Bashir and continues to feel "a lot of hurt and pain" over it. "The Princess" should shine further light on how tough Diana's time at the center of a media storm really was.