The Story of Diana (2017 TV Movie) User Reviews

A near-perfect documentary.

[kitellis-98121 · 9/10 · 8 July 2018]

I am neither a monarchist nor a republican. Mostly I don't even think about the royals, let alone have any particular interest in them. Yet after watching this excellent documentary almost by mistake (I put it on randomly while I was eating), I found myself hooked.

As documentaries go, it was one of the best I've seen - on any subject. Artfully edited, with unusually insightful, relevant, and intelligent contributions from the various talking heads (apart from Wayne Sleep who was a bit cringe-inducing), and impressively researched archive and photographic material that told the story of Diana's life more cohesively and coherently than I've ever seen done before.

Excellent narrative storytelling that sucked me in, and transported me back to those days in a way that few other documentaries have achieved. I went into it thinking I pretty much knew the entire story, having lived through it at the time, but by the end I felt newly enlightened and amazed at how much I'd not been aware of, either at the time or in the years since.

After watching this, I was suddenly keen to watch more documentaries about Diana and the other royals, and it says a lot that after three hours it left me wanting more. (The other documentaries that I watched were not nearly as good). Overall, I'm inclined to give this one top marks. I only docked it a star because of Wayne Sleep's contributions.

Well made

[Kingslaay · 8/10 · 11 April 2021]

A very well made doco about such an iconic figure. I was too young at the time to appreciate who she was when she died in 1997 but the archive footage, good narration and modern twist of this doco gave such valuable insight into who she was and what life is. This is also before The Crown re-generated so much interest in her in recent times. She was a beautiful soul and I felt through Charles Spencer and other sources they did their best to capture her essence. She will always be the People's princess.

A legend and a Star

[kunmeg-957-512721 · 9/10 · 22 March 2021]

A legend, an icon and a star, who was chased to death by the press / paparazzi / media. Two little boys lost a lovable mother so far too soon, a world lost a model of justice and kindness and a royal house lost its luster and credibility from beginning to end.

How can the media and the press live with themselves or sleep well at night after chasing a beloved princess to death?

Luckily, Diana had a brother who stood up for her and who dared to put into words what almost the whole world thought, thank you so much sir Charles Spencer! Thank you for daring to say what everyone thought, your sister would be very proud of you to stand up for her as you did. Your speech at Diana's funeral will be remembered by a whole world, a whole world gave you aplaus this day .

The princess used her advantage for what it was worth in her position, but who would not do it when the opportunity lay before her?

She had no one, absolutely no one in the royal house who stood up for her, or who spoke her case. It was probably this that made her the strong personality she was.

I feel disgust for the media and the press, and disgust for Charles, Camilla and not least for Queen Elisabeth, for their abominable behavior towards Diana.

The royal house got what they wanted in the end, easiest way out of rumors and bad publicity of the royal house.

(Luckily we have freedom of speech and I can write exactly what I want)!

Princess Diana will be remembered for many many decades, she will never be forgotten.

Thank you for being strong enough to pave the way for future generations of women, for standing up for what you thought was right and and not least for standing up for the sick and weak in society!

You will always be a star and Princess of England in my eyes!

Rest in peace the star above all stars.

Diana, the People's Princess

[bettycjung · 1 September 2017]

Shown over a two-day period (August 9 and August 10, 2017) on network TV, Diana Spencer is fairly portrayed as a fairy tale princess of our modern day who made the best of her situation. While she fought back the best she could against the infidelities of Charles during her marriage, her manipulative ways and her own infidelities tarnished her reputation. If nothing else, she was a goodwill ambassador for the British monarchy and was influential for the projects she was most passionate about. And, she was a wonderful mother. Perhaps, that is the saddest part of her story, that she never got the chance to be the wonderful grandmother that she could have been had she lived.

Powerful, moving and disheartening at the same time

[FirstDayMovieReviews · 8/10 · 7 April 2020]

The Story of Diana is so powerful that it will stay with you for a while after you watch it. It is a gripping tale of the rise and fall of Lady Di. The makers do an incredible work of putting together voices from the press, the photographers, her inner circle, high society privileged tribe and more.

It is powerful to see her emerge as a woman of strength after moving out of the royal family and carving an identity for herself. What touches you the most is how she picked up the ashes and was ready to move to a happier place in life when she met an unfortunate end.

The account put together in the film from the point she met with the accident to the last frame showing her final goodbye will leave a lump in your throat. Your heart will go out to the young William and little Harry as they follow their mother's body.

The Story of Diana has a roller coaster of emotions - you will feel rapturous, angry, heavy-hearted and still happy when you see Lady Di's infectious smile.

Brilliant

[mikeiskorn · 10/10 · 1 February 2020]

A really beautifully well made documentary. Lovely insight into the whole Diana story. A must watch.

10/10!

[AnnaPagrati · 10/10 · 31 August 2021]

A beautiful documentary! Loved every moment of this story!

The almost got me crying...I understand Meghan Markle better now!

[therealjaysmoke · 8/10 · 23 April 2023]

When she passed, I was a teenager, didn't know much about her except that she was a very famous and rebellious wife of Prince Charles. This series/documentary really opened up so many aspects of her life and threw light on her struggles in her marriage, and especially with the press. It's truly shocking to think she had to be put through so much pressure from the Palace and being watched every second by the media, made it even harder to not fail or make mistakes.

Her advantage was that, she knew how to manipulate the media and she did, until it got her killed. Such a sad ending to something that could have been a great human legacy. And to think that in modern times, the Palace and the media haven't learned from their mistakes and were doing the same thing to Meghan Markle is astonishing.

It makes perfect sense, now, why she would want to leave Britain and the "royal" (I hate calling them that) family. I didn't use to side with her and her decision to disrupt that family but watching this documentary made me understand her so much better. Smart girl...

Correction - The Story of the Disgusting Media that Stalked Diana

[OnjiMooteDaMarle · 6/10 · 20 February 2019]

Part 1 was wonderful and tearful but it wasn't the story of Diana. It was more of 'The Story of Princess Diana'. We know nothing about her childhood except certain moments spoken by her brother.

Part 2: It's all about the stalking, shameless media and how it drove the Princess crazy and sad. This is more of the story of a Disgusting British media and the criminals of British islands aka 'Australian' media - the real murderers of Diana.

In Short, it's Not The Story of Diana. It's the story of her murderers - the Brit media, the Australian media and the flirty Charles & his pros mistress B*. Camilla.

Worth a watch though..

I'm in my late forties,

[fbustamp · 8/10 · 5 October 2021]

And I grew up with the story of Lady Diana. This before cable tv. I really think that she tried to use her position, her place in the world, to make lives of unfortuned people, better. I really think that papparazzis are a bunch of assholes and they should all be shot.

Not great

[elvirazenda · 7/10 · 15 April 2021]

It doesn t tell the real story about diana s death, and doesn t show more about her tv interviews. Too much about what other people talk about her and not too much what she really said at interviews, phonecalls.

unwatchable because of the dreadful music

[mapika · 3/10 · 13 July 2020]

I tried and made it through the first episode. Particularly the consistently penetrating awful "background" music was too loud and made it impossible for me to stay focused on the story itself. Editing isn't really good too. That's the way you should never do a good profound documentary!

3 stars out of respect for Diana and the people in front of the camera.

England's rose

[wendyfrancken1132 · 15 December 2020]

I think it is a good documentary on Diana and her relationship with the press. I like to remember most of all how she used her fame to highlight important issues and wake people up. I saw the broadcast in tv the day of her funeral. I still remember the speech her brother gave. But another very gripping moment was when Elton John performed 'Goodbye England's Rose' or also known as candle in the wind. I was disappointed that this wasn't included in the documentary. I thought the end song did not fit the feeling that the rest of the documentary gave.