Lilian Birt

At the very beginning, we see the words: A fable based on a true tragedy. Then the film proceeds to show us the psychological torture Diana, Princess of Wales went through because she married into the Royal Family. The film takes place during Christmas 1991 and we see Diana is a total outsider at Sandringham, arriving late and keeping mostly to herself except for the few interactions she has with her young sons and servants. We see her struggles with bulimia, her imagined sightings of Anne Boleyn, and her self-harming. The director uses heavy handed metaphors to tell us Diana was a victim of the Royal establishment. Kristen Stewart is miscast as Diana and since she is in almost every frame it is difficult to connect with the main character. By the end, the director wants us to believe that in this fable Diana takes her sons and drives them off into freedom where they eat fast food by the London Bridge. I did not appreciate this portrayal of Diana and the Royal Family.

This film moves very slowly and is extremely depressing. During these times of Covid when many of us turn to entertainment for an escape, this movie holds no hope. We need some hope. But this movie offers nothing but a bleak look into the future.