While we wait for Kristen Stewart’s ‘Spencer’, read these books about Princess Diana

From the first look of Kristen Stewart as Diana in the forthcoming film Spencer, what is startlingly clear is the actor’s transformation. In the still, Stewart is in character, looking pensively into the distance. Wearing a red blazer and a black hat with a veil, her hair is coiffured in a classic Diana bob. The resemblance is uncanny.

The film, written by Steven Knight and directed by Pablo Larraín, is a biopic that covers a single Christmas at the royal family’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk in the Nineties. Over the course of the weekend, Diana decides her marriage to Prince Charles is officially over.

The film will not depict the princess’s tragic death in 1997, Larraín told Deadline. “It’s only three days of her life and in that very small amount of time, you’re able to get into a wider, bigger perspective of who she was. We all know her fate… and we don’t need to go there,” he says.

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Rather, the film will portray her fraying marriage and her bond with her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

“The key is how she discovers, during the process of the movie, that what she really needs to do is be who she wants to be,” says Larraín. “And by that, it doesn’t mean she needs to be next to anyone, to be part of anything, but herself and her own children."

While the production company is yet to reveal further casting details, Stewart’s ability to capture the true essence of the Princess of Wales is surely enough to get any royal enthusiast excited. Nailing the gaze, head tilt and uneven shoulders, she embodies the late princess’s much-loved aesthetic.

Stewart has spoken about how nervous she has been replicating Diana’s posh accent, and has read two biographies ahead of the shoot in order to prepare herself.

As production begins, the film’s release is slated for autumn 2021, ahead of the 25th anniversary of Diana’s death in 2022.

If you’re searching for more about the life of Diana, follow Stewart’s lead and turn to books, of which there have been plenty written in the past quarter-century. After all, the people’s princess spoke openly and candidly about being a royal, often with blistering honesty.

You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

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‘Diana: Her True Story – In Her Own Words’ by Andrew Morton, published by Michael O’Mara

In 1993, at the height of her recognition, Princess Diana announced she was reducing her official royal duties to live a more private life following her separation from Prince Charles. During her time in the royal family, she was best known for her humanitarian efforts and her attempts to reshape the monarchy in order to show its emotional side.

Diana: Her True Story documents the princess's long-term legacy through revealing, never-before-published material from original interviews, as well as an account of the events that surrounded her death. Just when she was finding her freedom and happiness, her life was cut short, making this a heartbreaking story.

Buy now £9.99, Waterstones

‘Remembering Diana: A Life in Photographs’ by Tina Brown

Serving as a tribute to mark the 20th anniversary of Diana’s death, this book, with a foreword by journalist Tina Brown, celebrates the life of the princess in pictures. It contains more than 100 photographs, many of which you won’t have seen before, and remembrances of her from her famous friends including Bill Clinton, Mother Teresa and Eton John.

Buy now £17.52, Amazon

‘Diana: Closely Guarded Secret’ by Inspector Ken Wharfe, published by John Blake Publishing Ltd

The first royal protection officer to publish a memoir, Ken Wharfe was a crucial figure in Diana’s life for nearly seven years. Wharfe saw her through her highs and lows, and Diana: Closely Guarded Secret feels like a balanced account, full of insights into the princess’s daily life. Providing a fly-on-the-wall perspective of the high-pressure years in Buckingham Palace, it’s a heartfelt and honest story.

£7.37, Bookshop

‘The Diana Chronicles’ by Tina Brown, published by Cornerstone

Said to be one of the most well-researched insider books on Diana’s life, Brown conducted more than 250 interviews with members of the princess’s inner circle. It’s essential reading for anyone interested in how she became the people’s princess, and the battles she endured to ensure her legacy.

Buy now £9.99, Waterstones

‘Diana: In Pursuit of Love’ by Andrew Morton, published by Michael O’Mara Books Ltd

The sequel to Diana: Her True Story, Andrew Morton employs his formidable skills as a researcher and investigative writer to uncover the truth. The book reveals stories of key figures in the princess’s life, such as her lover James Hewitt, her butler Paul Burrell and Prince Charles's valet, Michael Fawcett. Written in chronological order, it’s a definitive study of Diana.

Buy now £9.99, Amazon

‘Call Me Diana: The Princess of Wales on Herself’ by Nigel Cawthorne, published by Gibson Square Books Ltd

Journalist Nigel Cawthorne provides a fresh perspective on the interviews Diana gave throughout her life. Gathering her most noteworthy words, from her very first in public, when she had been cast into the media spotlight as a young girl, to her last. Some well known and some forgotten, the quotations in Call Me Diana are said to provide an eye-opening read.

Buy now £8.36, Bookshop

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