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Writer's pictureKen Silvers

The Princess


"The Princess" is a fascinating and historic documentary currently showing on HBO and HBO Max, about the late Princess of Wales, Diana. The documentary tells the story of Diana twenty-five years after her death in a way it has never been told. The film covers the life of Diana from her birth until she met Prince Charles through archival footage. I really liked this style of filmmaking, as it felt as if I was watching her life unfold in real time. If you were alive at the time the courtship between Charles and Diana began, you will remember it sent the media into a frenzy. While Charles was 32 and Diana was 19 at the time, the matchup did seem almost magical. The wedding was a huge television event, and England, as did the rest of the world, continued their love affair with the new Princess of Wales. Diana was often viewed as timid, but as she grew older gained a sense of confidence and she became the most popular member of the royal family and gave birth to Prince William and later Prince Harry. There were many reasons people loved Diana. She had a real caring attitude for the sick and the poor, was very down-to-earth, approachable, and loved to take her sons to theme parks. However, Diana's popularity came with a price, the supposed jealousy of the royal family, who often felt her "modern" style did not always fit with the royal's stiffness. The documentary does not do easy on Prince Charles, especially when his marriage started to crack due to his not so secret love for his current wife Camilla. The strained relationship between Charles and Diana was fodder for the gossip magazines and newspapers, and kept the public enthralled. The public often felt Diana was humiliated by the royals and kept her close to their hearts, especially after hearing she may have tried to harm herself. Despite the continued stain on their marriage, the royal couple kept up appearances and continued to appear at events until they finally decided to file for divorce, ending what many at the beginning felt had been a storybook marriage. After their divorce Diana continued to attend charity events and eventually found new love in her life. Despite her newfound happiness, her life would end tragically on the streets of Paris. Speaking of her death in Paris, the film features footage moments before the tragic crash, adding even more power to the tragedy. After the death the entire world and especially England mourned for their beloved Diana. The film features footage of thousands of flowers being left by the public in front of Buckingham Palace, eventually being viewed by the royal family, including Williams and Harry. At the time Queen Elizabeth took too long to speak to the public, outraging many British citizens. Elizabeth finally made her speech on national television and viewed the outpouring of love for the Princess in front of the palace. Watching the film, I felt little empathy for Charles, but felt total heartbreak for Harry and William, who so loved their mother. It is really fascinating to see how the royal family is today and take a trip back in time to see how much impact the sweet Diana had on the modern monicharcy. If you enjoy reading or watching events around the royal family, or just enjoy historical documentaries, I highly recommend a viewing of "The Princess", a sometimes happy and ultimately tragic life of a real life princess. Now playing on HBO and HBO Max. (Not Rated)

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