Back in January, Ed Perkins debuted his documentary at the Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews. I remember reading about it then and hoping that a streamer picked it up. HBO ended up buying it, and it will premiere on August 13. The documentary is called The Princess, and it’s entirely about Princess Diana’s life on camera, from her pre-engagement days as Lady Diana Spencer to the divorced Princess of Wales, up to her last days in Paris. This is not an investigative documentary and Perkins didn’t conduct interviews or anything like that. What he does is simply use archival footage, including commentary and news pieces at that time, and puts together Diana’s story. Here’s the trailer:
“There are people in there… trapped…” Ugh. This is going to be a gut-punch. I remember the critics at Sundance praising Perkins for his use of the archival footage, including stuff which rarely gets used or re-used. It IS timely. Not only will this come out just a couple of weeks before the anniversary of Diana’s death, but HBO is getting in ahead of Netflix’s fifth season of The Crown, which will be very Diana-intensive.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
HRH PRINCESS OF WALES (HRH Princess Diana) Seen at the 1995 Wimbledon Tennis Championships. Bandphoto Agency Photo B21 009812/E-36 09.07.1995,Image: 502647127, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: For queries call UPPA + 44 (0)20 7421 6000, Model Release: yes, Credit line: © Band Photo / uppa.co.uk / Avalon 
HRH PRINCESS OF WALES (Visiting the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London) COMPULSORY CREDIT: UPPA/Photoshot Photo UKWT 011125/26 06.03.1996,Image: 502658732, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries call Photoshot Global HQ – London + 44 (0)20 7421 6000 , also New York Office Tel : + 1 646-429-8731 and Hamburg Office Tel +49 (0)40 530 240 5959, Model Release: no, Credit line: Photoshot / Avalon 
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, visit Washington DC. At a dinner in Washington DC hosted by the British Ambassador Sir Oliver Wright Diana is wearing a dress by Murray Arbeid. Her tiara was a wedding present from the Queen.,Image: 535842776, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: John Shelley Collection / Avalon
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales leave St. Paul’s Cathedral in a carriage after their wedding on 29 July 1981.,Image: 542511529, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Anwar Hussein / Avalon 
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, visit Sicily during their trip to Italy. Diana is wearing a Catherine Walker dress and a hat by John Boyd.,Image: 549497656, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: John Shelley Collection / Avalon 
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, visit the Children’s Hospital in Rome, Italy. Diana wore an outfit by Bruce Oldfield.,Image: 549498587, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: John Shelley Collection / Avalon
London, UNITED KINGDOM – **FILE PHOTOS** PRINCESS DIANA pictured in 1990s archive photos Pictured: PRINCESS DIANA BACKGRID USA 4 JULY 1996 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication* 
Lady Diana Spencer, the future Princess of Wales 
August 31, 2017 marks 20 years since Princess Diana’s death. Diana Princess of Wales died from serious injuries in the early hours of August 31st 1997 after a car crash in Paris. Pictured: August 1981 – Princess Diana (Lady Diana. (Credit Image: © Globe Photos/ZUMAPRESS.com)
August 31, 2017 marks 20 years since Princess Diana’s death. Diana Princess of Wales died from serious injuries in the early hours of August 31st 1997 after a car crash in Paris. Pictured: 1992 – Prince Charles And Princess Diana.(Credit Image: © Globe Photos/ZUMAPRESS.com) 
August 31, 2017 marks 20 years since Princess Diana’s death. Diana Princess of Wales died from serious injuries in the early hours of August 31st 1997 after a car crash in Paris. Pictured: August 1981 – Princess Diana And Prince Charles. (Credit Image: © Globe Photos/ZUMAPRESS.com)ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmcG9nZn1ze8ebpqyXpJ2yoLzRoqWcnaOorKW7wq6knqaklr%2B6q8uopqSrj52yor7Tm6memZueu6iryKernqqVqMGqusZo