Another documentary about Diana, Princess of Wales. What more is there to say — or be revealed — at this point? Not much. But “The Princess” on HBO, from director Ed Perkins, takes a unique approach: The film assembles news coverage that spans nearly two decades, from her 1981 engagement to Prince Charles to her 1997 car accident death in Paris. The end result is not so much the story of Diana (even though it obviously is) but a look at the telling of her story — as the media told it. Which means there are no present-day talking heads inserted along the way. Just clips stitched together chronologically, but in an order that becomes its own commentary.
Seeing so much Diana news coverage assembled in one place lays bare the cynical impulses, the blundering PR instincts and the misplaced allegiance to the idea of the monarchy itself. But it’s also a reminder of how the central players comported themselves through it all.
The British royals are put under the microscope by the press. But not really. Not when it matters. Lurking behind every headline about Diana is the unspoken pact that her son, Prince Harry, would later allude to in his 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey: That very real and problematic stories about the monarchy will be left untouched — or handled with the most delicate of euphemisms — and in return the royal family will play along and, when one is available, provide a sacrificial offering.
