All the actresses who have played Princess Diana on screen, from Kristen Stewart to Naomi Watts
Over the years, we've seen many actors take on the role of Princess Diana, in an attempt to portray the late royal's life in TV shows and biopics. From hit Netflix series The Crown to the highly anticipated Spencer, Pablo Larraín's upcoming film in which Kristen Stewart takes centre stage, revisiting the tragedy of Diana's story is no new feat. But exactly how many times has it actually been done?
One of the most iconic royal fashion moments in history.
From big budget Netflix productions like The Crown to smaller TV movies about the royal family and adaptations of famous biographies, there have been a plethora of on-screen dramas depicting different stages and perspectives of Diana's life. Naturally, some have been more accurate than others but one thing we've noticed is that the casting is almost always solid.
So, as we wait patiently to see Stewart's performance in Spencer, let's take a look back at all the other stars who depicted the Princess of Wales on both the big screen and the small screen...
Pablo Larrain © NeonKristen Stewart
Title: Spencer
So far, we've only seen snippets of Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana but already, we're putting our money on her delivering an Oscar-worthy performance that'll potentially go down in history. Luckily, we won't have to wait much longer as Spencer is set to be released later this year.
NetflixEmma Corrin
Title: The Crown, season 4
Our most recent on-screen Diana, British actress Emma Corrin had the honours of portraying the princess in the fourth season of hit Netflix series,The Crown, where she tackles the early stages of Diana’s relationship with Prince Charles, from how they met to the crumbling turn of events after they said their ‘I do’s’ as well as highlighting Diana’s personal struggles with an eating disorder, her isolation and the way she was treated by other members of the royal family.
Her performance earned Corrin critical-acclaim and an award season sweep as she won a Golden Globe, a Critic’s Choice Award and a SAG for the role.
ShutterstockNaomi Watts
Title: Diana
One of the more famous biopics, 2013 release Diana saw British-Australian actress Naomi Watts cast in the leading role. The film focused on the late Princess's complex relationship with Hasnat Khan and subsequent coupling with Dodi Fayed. The plot was based on Kate Snell's 2001 book, Diana: Her Last Love.
ShutterstockAmy Seccombe
Title: Diana: A Tribute to The People's Princess
Seccombe played Diana in the British film, Diana: A Tribute to The People's Princess , a look into the last years of the Princess’s life. Released in 1998, it particularly focuses on her short romance with Billionaire Dodi Fayed, including the moment the two of them were tragically killed in a car crash in Paris on 31st August 1997.
ShutterstockSerena Scott Thomas
Title: Diana: Her True Story
Thomas played the royal in NBC’s 1993 movie Diana: Her True Story, a film adapted from yet another biography. This time, it was Andrew Morton's book of the same name. The film also used old footage from Diana, where she talks candidly about the highs and lows of life under the watchful eye of the monarchy and the public.
NetflixElizabeth Debicki
Title: The Crown, season 5
The Crown is by far one of the best Netflix releases to date and following the success of season 4, we cannot wait for the royal saga to continue. As the show sees another time jump, Elizabeth Debicki will be taking over from Emma Corrin as Princess Diana in the upcoming season. While we've yet to watch her performance, we're expecting big things, especially following Corrin's stellar portrayal.
Gabriel Hennessey © Hallmark / Crown Media U.S.Lesley Harcourt
Title: William & Catherine: A Royal Romance
Scottish actress Lesley Harcourt made a small appearance as Diana in US TV movie William & Catherine: A Royal Romance. It aired in 2011, four months after Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, and saw Harcourt appear as the late Princess in the scenes covering her real life TV interview with the BBC.
Michael Courtney ©LifetimeBonnie Soper
Title: Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance & Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal
Soper’s role was more recent as she played Diana in not one but two Lifetime based on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. First up was Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance, a 2018 release that hit the small screen a week before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding. The New Zealander was then cast to play Diana once again in 2019’s Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal, recounting a dramatised version of the couple’s first year of marriage.
YouTubeGenevieve O'Riley
Title: Diana: Last Days of a Princess
Irish-Australian actress Genevieve O’Riley played Diana in 2007 docudrama, Diana: Last Days of a Princess. As the title suggests, the show focused on the final years of her life, leading up to her tragic death in 1997 and outlining everything in between, including her relationship with Dodi Fayed.
Getty ImagesJulia Cox
Title: Princess In Love
This movie caused a whole lot of drama when it was released in 1996, mainly because it was an adaption of Anna Pasternak's biography of the same name, in which she spilt all the royal tea about Princess Diana's alleged romantic relationship with polo player Captain James Hewitt whilst she was still married to Prince Charles. In it, actress Julia Cox plays Diana.
