The Queen (2006)
A film directed by Stephen Frears, written by Peter Morgan
Perhaps the most compelling portrayal of Diana in pop culture is a film in which she barely appears at all. The Queen focuses on how Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren, in an Oscar-winning performance), and the royal family as well as then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) responded to the public outpouring of grief that followed Diana’s death. The film imagines the Queen at Balmoral Castle in Scotland watching reruns of Diana’s controversial 1995 BBC interview with Martin Bashir and contemplating what went wrong. Even after Diana’s death in the film, her life and legacy remain the focus of almost every conversation. Most of the scenes take place behind palace doors and the dialogue is therefore fictitious, but The New York Times observed, “In addition to reading and watching news clips and poring through royal biographies [screenwriter] Mr Morgan interviewed many insiders from all the various royal and political camps.”
According to Rotten Tomatoes, 96 per cent of critics gave positive reviews of the film, noting its moments of humour and its subtle critique of both the monarchy and British class system. Ultimately, The Queen is one of the most successful portrayals of Diana because it focuses on her impact on both on the monarchy and the wider public rather than recreating the well-known moments of her life. It manages to capture the essence of that week in 1997 when the world was in mourning, and the public expected the royal family to show their emotions as openly as Diana had done in her lifetime.
Filmmakers are still exploring the impact of Diana’s death on the public. The 2017 television movie Diana and I imagined how four ordinary people in the United Kingdom responded to the death of Diana, viewing her struggles through the lens of their own circumstances.
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Source: RD Canada
