Common Sense Media Review
By Danny Brogan
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Diana docu has tragedy, affairs, suicide references.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Princess
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Using archive footage, THE PRINCESS looks back at the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, from the early days of her courtship with Prince Charles to her tragic death in 1997.
Is It Any Good?
This intriguing documentary acts as a reminder to the turbulent life of one of, if not, the most famous woman in the 1980s and '90s, Diana, Princess of Wales. The Princess relies solely on archive footage. There are no contemporary talking heads providing a postmortem on her life. Although the film portrays Diana as sympathetic, she is also shown to be complex and not without faults. There are references to how she used the media for her own benefit, as well as discussions about both her and Prince Charles' affairs. However, there are also the moments when she visits a hospital ward for patients with AIDS -- something that was deemed shocking for a royal to do at the time -- or her campaign to get landmines banned.
One of the most striking aspects of the documentary is just how young Diana was when she first became involved with Charles, who was 13 years her senior. Having met aged 16, before marrying at 20, the film does a great job of showing just how overwhelming becoming the wife of the heir to the throne must have been. But it's as Diana becomes more comfortable in her role that the cracks begin to show in her marriage. As her confidence grows, so does the public's love for her and, whether she intended to or not, Diana soon becomes a bigger draw than Charles. While there are no new revelations, The Princess captures a period of recent history about one of the 20th-century's most iconic figures.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Diana came across in The Princess. In what ways did she show empathy and compassion? Why are those important character strengths to have? Can you think of any times in your own life when you've demonstrated these traits?
What role did the press, particularly the paparazzi, play in both Diana's life and death? How do you think it would feel to be followed and photographed all of the time?
Talk about the documentary style. The film relies solely on archive footage. What did/didn't you like about this style?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 13, 2022
- Cast : Princess Diana , Prince Charles , Queen Elizabeth II
- Director : Ed Perkins
- Studio : HBO Max
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : History
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Empathy
- Run time : 109 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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