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THE PRINCESS
The life of Princess Diana is retold using just archival news footage and audio
Certificate: 12A Director: Ed Perkins Released: Out now
The story of Princess Diana remains a controversial one to the British public. The scandal surrounding her divorce from Prince Charles, as well as her tragic death in a car accident in Paris on 31 August 1997, continues to divide opinion. In particular public anger has been focused on the treatment of Diana by both the monarchy and the British press. Cinematic takes on her life are nothing new (2021 saw the release of Pablo Larrain’s highly recommended Spencer) and documentaries about her are common. But Ed Perkins’ The Princess is a refreshing and inventive take on the subject and has been crowned “the definitive Princess Diana documentary” by Rolling Stone, a statement it’s hard to disagree with.
The use of exclusively archival footage might initially sound disappointing, after all can anything new be said if you’re only using words that have already been spoken?
