8 Fascinating Documentaries About the Life and Death of Princess Diana

8 Fascinating Documentaries About the Life and Death of Princess Diana

Despite how private the British royal family keeps their personal lives, they've remained the subject of tabloid scrutiny and public interest for centuries. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and more members of the family are certainly fascinating, but it's Princess Diana who truly captured the hearts of people all over the world. Both before and after her tragic, untimely death in an August 1997 car accident, the royal's life has remained in the spotlight and has subsequently been the subject of many documentaries to mark the 20 years since her passing.

I Want More! Get our Celebrity & Entertainment newsletter by tapping the button below. Instant Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms & to receive emails from POPSUGAR. 1. The Story of Diana Story-Diana.jpg

ABC and People joined forces to release The Story of Diana, a two-part, four hour-long event to mark the 20th anniversary of her tragic passing. Comprehensive interviews about her life with leading Diana experts and those who knew her best makes for a well-rounded look at the Princess of Wales.

Where to watch: ABC

2. Diana: The Last Days of a Princess Diana-Last-Days-Princess.jpg

This 2007 documentary from TLC used a mix of interviews and dramatic reenactments to tell the story of the princess of Wales's last two months before her death. Actual news footage and interviews with Mohamed Al-Fayed (Dodi Al-Fayed's father) and editors from The Sunday Mirror are mixed in with scenes based on testimony from the 800-page Paget Report (official documents pertaining to Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed's death), which was published in 2006 after a four-year-long investigation.

Where to watch: DVD

3. Diana: In Her Own Words Diana-Her-Own-Words.jpg

Filmmaker Tom Jennings gathered intimate recordings of Princess Diana for this in-depth documentary for National Geographic.

Where to watch: National Geographic

4. Unlawful Killing Unlawful-Killing.jpg

Keith Allen's 2011 British documentary film about Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed's death, Unlawful Killing, faced mounting criticism after premiering at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. The movie claims the British and French authorities covered up important details about their car crash, and asserts Prince Philip orchestrated their murder (it also calls Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret "gangsters in tiaras").

The film — which was financed by Mohamed Al-Fayed (Dodi's father) — is full of other scandalous allegations about the royal family that led to it being banned from a theater release in the UK. Allen tried to distribute it in the US instead, but it was also withdrawn due to threats of possible litigation.

Where to watch: YouTube

5. Diana: The People's Princess Diana-People-Princess.jpg

Diana: The People's Princess came out in 2016 and gives audiences a well-rounded look at her life. It dives deep into her dedication to philanthropy, as well as her relationship with sons Prince William and Prince Harry. Of all the documentaries on this list, it provides the best reason her memory continues to live on so strongly.

Where to watch: Amazon, iTunes

6. Diana: Portrait of a Princess Diana-Portrait-Princess.jpg

Michael Brennan's mid-'90s documentary examines the life of Princess Diana with nine months' worth of exclusive footage of her after she backed away from the public eye (following the publication of her and Charles's extramarital affairs), and includes testimony from some of her closest friends.

Where to watch: DVD

7. Diana: The Witnesses in the Tunnel Diana-Witnesses-Tunnel.png

Rather than taking a look at Princess Diana's life as a whole, this 2007 film offers an in-depth look at the night of her and Dodi Al-Fayed's car crash in the tunnel in Paris. Directed by Janice Sutherland and Stuart Tanner, it examines the final photographs taken of her by the paparazzi who were subsequently arrested that night and who actually witnessed the aftermath of the tragic event in person. It offers a sympathetic view of the photographers, and attempts to overturn the claim that they slowed down the ambulances trying to reach the princess.

Where to watch: DVD

8. Princess Diana: The Uncrowned Queen Princess-Diana-Uncrowned-Queen.jpg

Princess Diana: The Uncrowned Queen follows Princess Diana from her rise to fame at just 20 years old to her death 16 years later, including glimpses into her marital strife with Prince Charles and her struggle to elude the paparazzi. Interviews with Prince William and Prince Harry are included, as is footage of conversations with some of her friends.

Where to watch: Amazon, DVD

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