Diana’s legacy lives on
Still a child when the Princess of Wales died, Syahirah Mokhtazar learns more about the icon in the documentary, The Story of Diana
AS a young kid growing up in the 1990s, the only real-life princess I knew was the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and that was mostly because my mother and her friend sconstantly talked about her. At that time, her presence drew global attention, that even a child like me came to be in awe of this lucky woman who lived a fairytale life.
But that was all I knew about her — that she was a princess with a signature pixie haircut. When news about her death made headlines in 1997, people all over the world mourned the great loss. However, the 6-year-old me back then was a little too carefree to, well.. care.
So when a documentary on the princess titled was available on Netflix, it got me intrigued to know her story beyond that royal title.
Better late than never, no? The documentary marked the 20th anniversary of
Diana’s death.
comes in two parts, each spanning 83 minutes. The idea of the documentary was to let viewers explore the life and private struggles of Diana through
Most of the British public identified with Princess Diana. interviews with her brother Charles Spencer and others who knew her well including Richard Branson.
I discovered a few things about Diana. I was surprised to know that her husband, Prince Charles, initially dated Diana’s elder sister Sarah before he and Diana became Britain’s “it” royal couple.
I thought that would have been awkward for the sisters but according to news reports, Sarah proudly proclaimed herself as the couple’s Cupid.
There are many documentaries about Diana, which I have yet to watch, but I do like how this documentary delves into Diana’s life through the eyes of her loved ones — those who knew her best.
So it was almost like getting a walk through Diana’s life in the most personal way possible. Plus, old tapes and recordings of her are included.
The documentary also highlighted interviews with people like Diana’s wedding dress designer Elizabeth Emanuel.
I loved how she chose a designer, who was not well-known or established yet, to design a dress for the biggest day of her life.
It was part of her intention to support England’s fashion industry.
Diana was the centre of it all. Some loved her, while others loathed her. Whatever the case, the media was transfixed by her.
She quickly became a fashion icon. But, most importantly, people regarded her as one of them, one of the people, as she was kind and did a lot of good for the less fortunate.
She had this common touch with the public that apparently the ruling family lacked. At least that’s how the documentary portrayed it.
In contrary to the seemingly fairytale life she led and all the glitz and glamour as captured by the paparazzi, the documentary uncovered the darker side of Diana’s life.
Her brother shared Diana’s struggle with her marriage, and how Prince Charles had always kept a soft spot for his old flame, Camilla. But Diana found happiness with her children, Prince William and Prince Harry, who are now at the centre of attention.
The second part of the documentary shows how Diana’s marriage starts to unravel, and how she had to deal with the media.
I expected the producers to dig deeper into her death in a Paris tunnel on Aug 31, 1997, but the documentary instead focused on the global mourning instead.
At the end of it all, Diana left behind a legacy. Though she didn’t come from a royal family, she modernised the monarchy’s image and became a phenomenon on her own.
She was a natural star. To date, she is still an icon to many.
Kudos to its producers for keeping viewers glued to the screen from start to end.