HBO's New Documentary About Princess Diana Explores the Media's Obsession with the Late Royal
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Despite having died nearly 25 years ago, Princess Diana remains almost omnipresent in popular culture. In 2021, we got Spencer and Diana: The Musical, and later this year, on the heels of Tina Brown's The Palace Papers, a new season of The Crown promises to explore the dramatic end of Charles and Diana's marriage, with Elizabeth Debicki taking on the role of the Princess of Wales.
But even amid an influx of royal-related movies, books, and TV shows, the new documentary The Princess stands out. Directed by Academy Award-nominee Ed Perkins (Black Sheep, Tell Me Who I Am), and set to air next month on HBO and HBO Max, it offers an intimate portrait of Princess Diana, chronicling her experience in the royal family—from her courtship with Prince Charles to the births of her children and ultimately her tragic death—using only archival footage. There are no talking heads or interviews with Diana's friends and family; instead, Perkins allows vintage commentary and an expert edit of clips to shape the film's narrative.
As the newly released trailer illustrates, not only does The Princess tell Diana's story, it also offers a sharp critique of the media's (and in a way, the audience's) obsession with her, and serves a reflection of British society in the 90s, and its relationship with both the monarchy and the tabloid press.
Watch the first trailer above. The Princess premieres Saturday, August 13 on HBO and HBO Max at 8 p.m. eastern.
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