The star of ‘The Crown’ tells PEOPLE the season 6 script imagined Princess Diana as someone who “had been through the fires and come through stronger”

Elizabeth Debicki at The Crown season 6, part 1 premiere in Los Angeles on November 12; Princess Diana’s visit to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in 1996. . Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty; Julian Parker/Getty

Elizabeth Debicki says closing the role of Princess Diana in The Crown came with a unique weight.

Speaking to PEOPLE before the show’s season 6, part 1 premiere on Thursday, Debicki says the hardest scenes to film for Netflix’s drama inspired by the lives of the British royal family were those around the end.

The first installment, told in four episodes, explores the events surrounding Princess Diana’s tragic death in 1997 alongside love interest Dodi Fayed (played by Khalid Abdalla). Part 2 debuts on Dec. 14 with six episodes, focusing on the aftermath of the late Princess of Wales’ death and the future of the monarchy.

“All of the scenes in the lead-up to the end of this season were in a cumulative way, very difficult. We shot them over a number of weeks. I think shooting the sequences where the two characters are being really pursued by the paparazzi was just a really horrible experience. It’s very physical,” Debicki, 33, exclusively tells PEOPLE. “After doing that for a few weeks, we were very drained, very tired. We felt in a way it’s almost like doing a stunt in the sense that your body starts to take on the kind of physical experience and you’re not doing a lot of acting.”

Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana and Khalid Abdalla as Dodi Fayed in season 6 of The Crown on Netflix.Netflix

Elizabeth Debicki on the Most Important Thing She Learned While Playing Princess Diana in The Crown

“The feeling was almost like being underwater. You’re just kind in this swamp of noise, of harassment, of being pursued,” she says. “As the actor playing the role, the character is just constantly focusing on where they’re trying to get to, but there’s just this accumulation of obstacles in the way of that, and that was a very kind of difficult, taxing thing to experience.”

PEOPLE previously confirmed that the moment of impact of the car crash that killed Diana and Dodi would be excluded from The Crown. Executive producers Andy Harries and Suzanne Mackie later stressed at the Edinburgh TV Festival that the depiction of the tragedy was approached sensitively on screen.

Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana and Khalid Abdalla as Dodi Fayed in season 6 of The Crown on Netflix.Daniel Escale/Netflix

On Aug. 31, 1997, the Princess of Wales and the Harrods heir were traveling by car in Paris with a driver and bodyguard pursued by paparazzi when their vehicle slammed into a support column of the Pont de l’Alma tunnel, flipped and came to a rest in front of oncoming traffic. Dodi and the driver died instantly while Diana died later in the hospital. She was 36 years old.

The cast of The Crown changed every two seasons to reflect the royals aging through the decades, and Debicki took over from Emma Corrin for the role of Princess Diana in seasons 5 and 6. The star says what shifted for the final season was showing a different side to Diana.

“The script offered different sort of colors in a way of Diana, and I was really grateful for that. I think in season 5, the character is much more isolated. She’s on her own a lot, and she’s going through incredible trials that really test her and test her sense of reality and her sense of herself,” Debicki says of the penultimate installment, which chronicled the breakdown of Diana’s marriage to then-Prince Charles, finalized by divorce.

“When I opened up the scripts to season 6, what I saw Peter [Morgan] had created for me to follow, was this sense of someone who was freer, who was kind of blossoming into a different version, who had been through the fires and had sort of come through stronger and more focused,” she adds of what the showrunner imagined.

Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana in season 6 of The Crown on Netflix.Daniel Escale/Netflix

A Timeline of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s Relationship

Part 1 picks up with Princess Diana’s holiday in Saint-Tropez with her young sons, Prince William (Rufus Kampa) and Prince Harry (Fflyn Edwards), hosted aboard Dodi’s family’s yacht.

“I think in the beginning of season 6, Diana just wants to have a good vacation with her kids. She really just wants to have a nice time, which is a difficult thing to do in life, to say, ‘Everything goes to the side. We just have fun,’ ” Debicki says.

“She really has this intention to have fun. And then of course, the way that Peter’s written it, this relationship with Dodi Fayed just tumbles together and they find each other and they’re surprised at what they find together in terms of the chemistry,” the actress continues. “All of those pieces of making this part of the story were just a joy to do, to experience.”

Fflyn Edwards as Prince Harry, Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana and Rufus Kampa as Prince William in season 6 of The Crown on Netflix.Daniel Escale/Netflix

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On what she most hoped to bring to the final season, Debicki says it was all about Diana as a mother.

“I felt like I really had an opportunity in this season to just really focus on the relationship between Diana and her boys. Just that love, the joy, and the relief of spending time with them, and feeling really truly yourself when you have your children with you, and a real sense of kind of purpose,” Debicki tells PEOPLE. “That was so important for me because obviously we know where the story is heading. I really focused, whenever there was an opportunity, to show how incredibly alive and beautiful this person was.”

The Crown season 6, part 1, is now streaming on Netflix.

The late princess appeared on the cover of PEOPLE magazine more than anyone else in the world

Princess Diana would have turned 62 on July 1, 2023. In her short but impactful time in the spotlight — she died on Aug. 31, 1997, in a car crash in Paris — she appeared on the cover of PEOPLE 45 times, and has reappeared on several covers since, continuing her legacy of love and service. Here, a look back at them all.

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June 22, 1981: Lady Diana

At 19 years old, Princess Diana’s very first PEOPLE cover was a “sneak preview” of her wedding to Charles, an article that featured details on all six of her wedding gowns, the A-list guest list and the “royal pain” of planning in the spotlight.

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August 2, 1981: Good Show!

Following the couple’s fairytale wedding, PEOPLE reporters uncovered all of the tiny details that went into making the big day a success. For example, to produce the silk for Diana’s gown, the proprietor of Britain’s only silk farm had volunteers scour the woods of two counties for the 20 bags of mulberry leaves needed to feed his hungry silkworms each day. Once the moth larvae had spun their cocoons, he and his wife reeled the silk skeins that made the cloth that was to be woven into Diana’s wedding gown.

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November 23, 1981: The Pregnant Princess

A baby on the way! An issue of PEOPLE leading up to the birth of Prince William offered up details on “nannies, nappies, names” and other plans Charles and Diana had for the heir to the throne.

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July 5, 1982: Oh, Boy!

Diana’s newborn son William didn’ appear on the cover, but the beaming new mom (in a blue, polka dot dress Princess Kate channeled when introducing the world to Prince George in 2013) was a vision while leaving the hospital in London.

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August 16, 1982: King of Hearts

Welcome, William! Diana’s first son made his debut on PEOPLE, captured in “a touching moment for Diana and her little prince.”

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January 31, 1983: Diana’s Ordeal

Paparazzi hounded the prince and princess on what was supposed to be a private trip to the Swiss Alps, leaving the woman called “shy Di” visibly angry at photographers and members of the press who followed her.

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October 1, 1994: Di’s Pride and Joy

A glowing Diana held newborn Prince Harry in photos featured on this 1994 cover, announcing that “little Prince Henry is checking into the royal nursery.”

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January 14, 1985: Harry

When Princess Anne and her husband, Capt. Mark Phillips, opted out of Prince Harry’s late 1984 Christening, sending their young children alone, rumors of a feud between the pair and Diana grew. Diana and Charles chose not to name Anne godmother to either of their sons, and PEOPLE reported the women’s matching “iron wills” often put them at odds.

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May 20, 1985: Talk About Power Trips!

A 1985 story compared the simultaneous European trips of Charles and Diana — who explored Italy by yacht with William and Harry — and President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan, who had a more regimented tour through Germany and Italy.

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July 22, 1985: Malice in the Palace

“Behind this facade is a willful woman who has family servants on the run and who’s dancing the night away — sometimes without Charles,” read PEOPLE’s barbed account, which claimed Diana was “boldly displaying a new assertiveness and self-confidence” to the royal family. Stepping out alone both for official engagements and social events, “she seems eager to enjoy her unspent youth,” PEOPLE editors in 1985 postulated.

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November 11, 1985: What’s Diana Worth to Britain?

A fashion feature on the young princess explored how Diana and her staff of three shopped for her 200-plus engagements a year. “What she wears is her choice and her taste,” one close companion told PEOPLE. In contrast to the queen, a royal re-wearer, Diana often chose new looks, putting a heavy preference on British designers.

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October 13, 1986: Fergie & Di, The Merry Wives of Windsor

“Eleven weeks after she wed Prince Andrew and nine weeks after their honeymoon in the Azores, the newest member of the House of Windsor has become a wildly popular costar in the royal road show,” PEOPLE’s story on Sarah Ferguson read. Fergie and Diana’s fast friendship also gave fans something to root for, adding “a certain piquancy to the drama” of the royal family, PEOPLE’s then-editors posited.

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June 9, 1987: Save the Wales!

“Happily? Or just ever after?” PEOPLE asked as the couple marked six years of marriage. As a friend said of the pair’s struggle to find common ground: ”He was a bachelor for a very long time before he got married. He got very set in his ways and has never made any real attempt to change.”

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July 26, 1987: The Follies of Fergie & Di

The friendship between Fergie, then 27, and 26-year-old Diana was given a a misogynistic spin in much of the press throughout the 1980s. Dubbing the “naughty” royal wives “that international fun couple,” PEOPLE’s 1987 cover story said, “Di relishes Sarah’s lighthearted company.”

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November 9, 1987: The Big Chill

Increasingly living apart, Charles and Diana reunited in the country for what was supposed to be a quiet weekend together, only for her to leave 21 hours after she arrived. As one insider told PEOPLE, “the bottom line is that with no completely convincing reason, the prince and princess are leading separate lives. It is clear that she is happier with her own set of friends in the south of England, while he is at his best living a rather Spartan life in the north. What is worse is that the time apart doesn’t seem to bother them.”

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Spring 1988: All About Diana, The Private World of a Princess

A special edition about the young princess included features about her beautiful homes and jewels, her accessible fashion choices and her parenting style. “Privileged princes William and Harry have nannies and footmen, but it’s Di who rules the roost,” read one line.

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April 25, 1988: Growing Up Royal

A photo with Harry focused on Diana’s ability to keep her boys down to earth despite their pedigree.

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August 1, 1988: Seven-Year Hitch

A psychologist spoke to PEOPLE about the truth beind the “seven-year itch” some say married couples face, pointing to examples of what Charles and Diana were weathering. However, the couple were still presenting a united front at times. ”There continues to be a lot of caring and mutual respect between [them],” one family source shared. Five couples married the same week as Charles and Diana spoke about their own seven-year itch symptoms, too.

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October 31, 1988: Life Without Di

As Charles “fishes, paints, broods over the symbols in his dreams and dallies abroad, Diana gets a taste of single motherhood,” read a cover foreshadowing the future of their relationship.

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July 16, 1990: The Woman Who Will Be Queen

A thoroughly modern royal at the time, Diana gained popularity in part for her devotion to keeping things real. “She drives the kids to school, does aerobics, reaches out to AIDS patients — and struggles to make a difficult marriage work,” read PEOPLE’s cover.

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February 11, 1991: Rich, Royal and … Home Alone

By this time, the press was well aware that Diana and Charles, who was seeing Camilla Parker Bowles, were living separate lives. ”I believe that the marriage is stone dead,” said a source. “I don’t think there is animosity between them; it’s worse than that. They just don’t care anymore. It’s just indifference.”

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June 17, 1991: Wounded Prince

At school at Ludgrove in June 1991, Prince William was accidentally hit in the head with a golf putter and rushed into surgery with a fractured skull. The British press immediately called out Charles for leaving his son’s bedside to attend to some official and private royal duties, as Diana continued to emerge as the more present parent, who “plans her professional schedule around the school calendar,” PEOPLE wrote.

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July 22, 1991: A Decade Later, Where Has Their Love Gone?

On the couple’s 10th anniversary, many were speculating on the future of Charles and Diana’s marriage. “Is he fit to reign?” read PEOPLE’s cover. “Will they finally divorce?”

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Fall 1990: The Decade of Diana

A special collector’s edition offered a peek into the “merry lives (and marital woes) of the tempestuous House of Windsor,” with insets of Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth and Duchess Sarah Ferguson.

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June 22, 1992: DIANA

”Behind the public smiles, Princess Diana is a lonely and unhappy young woman who endures a loveless marriage,” wrote reporter Andrew Morton in his explosive biography Diana: Her True Story, which so shook the monarchy (and the country) that it was banned at Harrods. The reporter said he had cooperation from Diana’s inner circle on the book. As he wrote, “[They] believed that for once the truth should be told about the difficult life Diana has led.” After her death, Morton revealed that Diana herself had been his primary source via secretly recorded audio tapes.

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June 29, 1992: Diana’s Rival

A 1992 story on the increasing tension between Diana and Camilla told the story of Charles and Camilla’s meeting years before Diana was even in the picture. Camilla, a friend told PEOPLE, “is able to relax Prince Charles. He feels cozy in her company.”

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April 13, 1992: Diana in Mourning

“A difficult month comes to a tragic end as the Princess of Wales copes with the sudden death of her father,” read PEOPLE’s cover. Diana was particularly close to her dad, Earl Spencer, who died unexpectedly of a heart attack that week at the age of 68.

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August 3, 1992: Battling Bulimia, Diana’s Diet Ordeal

In 1992, three different books about the royals alleged Diana struggled with bulimia, though the palace never addressed the rumors. Diana later revealed her struggle with the eating disorder in her 1995 Panorama interview.

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September 14, 1992: Diana’s Secrets

At the peak of the tabloid storm surrounding Diana, the August 1992 leak of a phone call between Diana and friend James Gilbey, published in The Sun, raised eyebrows as she described life with Prince Charles as “real torture,” among other confessions. That same week, a man came forward to say he witnessed “indiscreet action” between the princess and her riding instructor, Maj. James Hewitt.

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November 30, 1992: It’s Over

The news of Charles and Diana’s official separation was met with just two words on this cover.

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December 21, 1992: Diana Makes a Deal

With the separation official, “she gets what she wants,” PEOPLE brazenly declared. “Palace digs, co-custody of the kids and a chance to be queen.”

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April 12, 1993: Diana on Her Own

A post-separation cover touted “the perils — and pleasures — of life without Charles,” as Diana found life without the full protection of the monarchy could be both freeing and unsettling.

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September 6, 1993: Battle for the Boys

With their parents living separately, William and Harry were treated to special vacations — like their famous trip to Walt Disney World in Florida in August of 1993 — but also subject to endless press scrutiny.

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December 6, 1993: Diana’s Lonely Battle

One year after Charles and Diana separated, the princess joked at a Nov. 4 event, “I thought I might postpone my nervous breakdown.” But it wasn’t funny: a friend told PEOPLE the mom of two was “‘shattered and overstressed,” spending much of her time alone.

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June 13, 1994: Diana’s Daring New Life

By the summer of 1994, PEOPLE declared that Diana was “liberated” and raised an eyebrow at her then-radical pursuit of “holistic healing” and “aromatherapy.” Meanwhile, the British press criticized her for having too much fun in her post-Charles life.

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September 5, 1994: Diana on the Edge

The British tabloid News of the World claimed that, over a period of 18 months, the princess had made as many as 300 anonymous calls to platonic confidant Oliver Hoare. Though Hoare was acting as a go-between for Charles and Diana during a rocky time, and listening when Diana had something to say, the tabloid alleged that she would frequently call his home without saying anything, staying on the line quietly as Hoare asked who was there.

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October 17, 1994: Diana’s Secret Lover

When Life Guards officer James Hewitt, with whom Diana eventually admitted to having an affair, spoke for a book about his time with the princess, 75,000 copies sold in one day. Princess in Love revealed intimate details of the pair’s relationship, and left Diana “bitterly hurt,” a source told PEOPLE.

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October 31, 1994: He Never Loved Her

In a June 1994 interview, Charles shocked the nation when he admitted to committing adultery. A November 1994 book by the journalist who conducted the interview, Jonathan Dimbleby, went even further, excerpting Charles’ private diary entries about his wife, his parents and royal life. “Frequently I feel … that I’m in a kind of cage, pacing up and down and longing to be free,” he wrote in 1986, five years after his wedding to Diana.

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November 6, 1995: Royal Roulette

In an example of the pervasive misogyny of the media coverage at the time, Diana’s so-called “homewrecker image” was pitted against Camilla in a showdown described as “royal roulette.”

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December 4, 1995: Diana’s Revenge: Take That

Diana sat down for an interview with now-disgraced former BBC journalist Martin Bashir in late 1995, discussing everything from her mental health struggles to her husband’s affair with Camilla, famously saying, “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.” An official BBC inquiry this year concluded Bashir used “deceitful methods” to secure the interview, which had devastating consequences for Diana and hastened her divorce from Charles.

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March 11, 1996: DI-VORCE! Her Future Begins

A photo of a confident Diana set the tone for the first issue after news of her divorce from Prince Charles broke on Feb. 28, 1996. They’d been separated for four years, and as one London reporter told PEOPLE, their situation “was beginning to divide not only politicians but the people of this country. The situation can only improve.”

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Spring 1996: The Diana Years

Another special issue focused on Diana’s life in the spotlight, from “her dazzling debut to the divorce and beyond.”

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June 17, 1996: Di Wows Chicago

“Putting aside her bitter divorce, a radiant princess lights up the Windy City,” read the cover line following Diana’s brief trip to the U.S. Fans lined the streets of Chicago to catch a glimpse of the royal as she visited Cook County Hospital — the inspiration for ER — and a fundraiser at the Field Museum of Natural History, where Michael Jordan’s mother dropped off autographed Bulls gear for William and Harry. Diana’s three-day visit was expected to raise $1.4 million, to be split among three charities: Northwestern University’s Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center, Gilda’s Club and London’s Royal Marsden Hospital, of which Diana was president.

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March 17, 1997: Class vs. Cash

The spring 1997 cover again pitted two royal women against each other, this time lauding Diana for devoting herself to “good works” while blasting newly single mom Sarah Ferguson for earning her own money.

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August 25, 1997: A Guy for Di

Diana’s relationship with Dodi Al Fayed was quite new in the summer of 1997 and had royal watchers wondering if the charming playboy was serious about the former princess — or “playing the field,” as PEOPLE asked.

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September 15, 1997

PEOPLE’s tribute to Diana immediately following her shocking death at age 36 on Aug. 31, 1997 is the first and only issue of the magazine to run without a cover line.

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September 22, 1997: Goodbye, Diana

The Sept. 22, 1997, PEOPLE focused on Diana’s emotional funeral in London. Two billion people — the largest audience in television history — tuned in as the People’s Princess was laid to rest following a service at Westminster Abbey. Friend Elton John memorably performed “Candle in the Wind” and her sons walked stoically behind her coffin, something Harry has since said was unbearably traumatic.

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October 13, 1997: The Secret Diana Interviews

Weeks after Diana’s death, British author Andrew Morton revealed that Diana had been the primary source behind his 1992 bestseller Diana: Her True Story.

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October 20, 1997: The Diana Interviews

A week later, the Morton tapes, which Diana had secretly recorded, and the updated book were featured in a sequel PEOPLE cover. “She had this crying need to speak out,” Morton said.

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February 2, 1998: Diana’s Legacy of Love

Months after her death, Diana’s legacy endured in the lives of those she’d helped with her extensive charity work through the years. Several of them spoke to PEOPLE about how the princess helped them. “No one,” says Ken Rutherford, a cofounder of the Landmine Survivors’ Network, who accompanied Diana to Bosnia, “could bring attention to an issue like she could.”

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August 31, 1998: Diana’s World, One Year Later

One year after Diana’s death, PEOPLE scrutinized the lives of those closest to the late princess, including Prince Charles, Charles Spencer, Camilla and Princes William and Harry.

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August 23, 1999: The Diana We Never Knew

Author Sally Bedell Smith released a biography of the princess. “Diana was trapped in a terrible hall of mirrors,” Smith told PEOPLE. “There was a huge disconnect between her public persona and her private life.” She argued, through interviews with friends and doctors, that Diana had undiagnosed borderline personality disorder, symptoms of which “include impulsiveness, feelings of abandonment and an inability to sustain relationships.”

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March 27, 2000: The Bodyguard’s Story

Trevor Rees-Jones was the only survivor of the crash that killed Diana; in a book, he detailed the days leading up to the event and his five-week hospital stay afterward. Speaking to PEOPLE about the months following the crash, he said, “A couple of times I felt if I had died instead of [Diana and Dodi], it would have been much easier both for me personally and for everybody else.”

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June 25, 2001: The Sister He Knew

Diana’s brother Charles Spencer spoke to PEOPLE four years after his sister’s death, on what would have been her 40th birthday. “I imagine she would not have been looking forward to being 40,” he said. “She was always conscious of her age and appearance. But I can’t see her losing that happiness and strength she had achieved.” After her painful marriage, he added, “she had reached the rebirth stage and was ready to move on.”

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April 3, 2006: Shocking New Evidence

Nine years after her tragic death, comments made by Lord Stevens, chief investigator of the government probe into the deaths of Diana and Dodi Al Fayed, implied the questions involved in the investigation were “far more complex … than any of us thought.”

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June 4, 2007: Diana’s Boys

“The most important thing to Diana was to make sure her boys grew up to be normal human beings,” a family friend told PEOPLE. “And apart from the fact that everyone in the world knows their faces, they are very normal boys. That is Diana’s legacy.”

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August 7, 2017: The Real Diana

Twenty years after Diana’s death, PEOPLE spoke to some of those who knew her best, including her brother Charles Spencer, who remembered her as “incredibly brave.”

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Summer 2021: PEOPLE Royals

Princess Diana appeared on the summer issue of the quarterly magazine PEOPLE Royals. In a story about how she “changed everything” in the monarchy, friends and confidants detailed how “her extraordinary life set the path for William and Harry today.”

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September 5, 2022: 25 Years Without Diana

PEOPLE’s September 2022 cover paid tribute to the princess on the 25th anniversary of her death, Aug. 31.

“It was such a shock that it remains imprinted on your mind,” Queen Elizabeth biographer Ingrid Seward, who knew Diana personally, told PEOPLE in the cover story. “There are very few moments like those in history.”

“I remember where I was in every tiny detail when I heard about Diana,” Steward added. “It affected everybody. Almost everyone in the world remembers where they were that day — it was an extraordinary, global phenomenon.”

In a shocking turn of events, King Charles III has reportedly expelled another member of the royal family, marking a dramatic escalation in the internal tensions that have plagued the House of Windsor.

While the identity of the individual remains undisclosed for the moment, speculation is rampant, with many pointing to ongoing controversies that have caused friction within the royal family in recent years.

King Charles, who has been intent on streamlining and modernizing the monarchy since taking the throne, appears to be taking decisive action to safeguard the integrity of the institution.

This recent expulsion is seen as part of his broader effort to reduce the number of working royals and distance the crown from individuals whose actions or behavior may bring controversy or embarrassment to the family.

Charles’ move follows a series of public disputes, most notably involving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, whose departure from royal duties in 2020 caused a seismic shift in the royal landscape.

Many are speculating that this latest expulsion could involve a royal family member who has been embroiled in scandals or disputes that threaten the public perception of the monarchy.

The expulsion comes at a time when King Charles is determined to establish his own legacy, stepping out from the shadow of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, while also maintaining the values and traditions of the British monarchy.

Some commentators suggest that Charles’ actions signal a new era of accountability within the royal family. In previous generations, internal family matters were often kept private, but under King Charles’ reign, it appears that there is less tolerance for those who fail to uphold the standards of royal duty and public responsibility.

By removing another member from the royal circle, Charles is sending a strong message about his expectations and the future direction of the institution.

The public reaction has been mixed. Some have applauded King Charles for making tough decisions and prioritizing the future of the monarchy over personal relationships. Others, however, see this move as further evidence of deep divisions within the royal family that may be difficult to heal.

The expelled royal has yet to make a public statement, but the announcement is sure to spark further intrigue and debate about the inner workings of one of the world’s most closely watched families.

As the nation waits for more details, this decision marks another chapter in the evolving story of the British royal family under King Charles’ leadership.

The actress spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about the royal connection to one of her looks at the show’s season 3 premiere on May 13

Princess Diana and Florence Hunt. Photo: Antony Jones/UK Press via Getty Images; Liam Daniel/Netflix

Bridgerton is tapping into a piece of true royal history when it comes to the wardrobe for its latest season.

Speaking at the season 3 premiere of the series on May 13, actress Florence Hunt revealed to PEOPLE that she had the honor of wearing a dress cut from the same fabric as one of Princess Diana’s dresses.

“I wore this beautiful blue dress, and I believe it was a cut off from Princess Diana’s dress that she wore at some point,” Hunt, 17, tells PEOPLE at the New York City premiere.

“A cut off from one of her dresses that they made for Princess Diana and they made a dress out of that fabric, which was mental. It’s crazy, yeah,” she adds, noting it is favorite look her character wears in the new season.

Florence Hunt at the season 3 premiere of ‘Bridgerton’ in New York City on May 13.ANDREA RENAULT/AFP via Getty Images

Princess Diana Has a Surprising Connection to ‘Bridgerton’ — and Her Brother Approves!

The star, who plays Hyacinth Bridgerton in the Netflix series, added that the wardrobe team on the show “let me keep a little piece of the fabric” after filming.

“I just thought it was amazing. I felt like I was wearing a piece of history,” Hunt tells PEOPLE.

Some of Princess Diana’s most iconic style moments from over the decades include her wearing statement blue dresses.

In 1981, the late princess wore an ethereal off-the-shoulder Bellville Sassoon ballgown at a Victoria & Albert museum exhibition in London, while four years later, she dazzled in an emerald blue Emanuels gown while dancing with her husband, the then-Prince Charles during the Melbourne royal tour.

Princess Diana in a Bellville Sassoon ballgown at the ‘Splendours of the Gonzaga’ exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1981.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

The Real Story of Princess Diana’s ‘Revenge Dress’

Princess Diana also famously sported a light blue strapless chiffon gown by Catherine Walker while attending the 1987 Cannes Film Festival, followed ten years later by wearing a sparkling blue shift dress by Jacques Azagury in one of her last looks in London in 1997.

Bridgerton costume designer John Glaser listed other style icons influencing the third season’s looks as Audrey Hepburn from My Fair Lady for the character of Eloise Bridgerton, and Grace Kelly and Katherine Hepburn for Franscesca Bridgerton, per British Vogue.

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Princess Diana pictured at the Cannes Film Festival in 1987.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

Along with Princess Diana’s memorable fashions, Bridgerton has also been inspired by the late princess’ childhood home.

In December 2020, show creator Chris Van Dusen revealed that the Bridgerton family home was influenced by the Spencer family’s ancestral home — Althorp House — after he developed a connection with it while making the show.

“The interior of Bridgerton House was inspired by my visit to Althorp when I was developing the show. Elegance. Opulence. And that #staircase,” he wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) at the time.

FROM DUCHESS TO COMMONER! King Charles Strips Meghan Of Her Royal Titles: GONE FOR GOOD

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Meghan Markle STRIPPED Of Titles by King Charles! The Final Decision on Her UK Future! In a world where royal drama captures the headlines and keeps us on the edge of our seats, the latest twist involving Meghan Markle has set tongues wagging and social media ablaze. The news that King Charles has made a final decision regarding Meghan’s titles has sent shockwaves through both royal circles and the general public. But what does this mean for Meghan, her family, and her future in the UK? Buckle up as we dive into the captivating world of royalty, media frenzy, and the intriguing life of Meghan Markle.

In a world where royal drama captures the headlines and keeps us on the edge of our seats, the latest twist involving Meghan Markle has set tongues wagging and social media ablaze. The news that King Charles has made a final decision regarding Meghan’s titles has sent shockwaves through both royal circles and the general public. But what does this mean for Meghan, her family, and her future in the UK? Buckle up as we dive into the captivating world of royalty, media frenzy, and the intriguing life of Meghan Markle.

This Is The Reason Why The Royal Family Is Leaving Out Meghan Markle

Let’s just say that they aren’t her biggest fans, and we are not talking about her Hollywood movies or television work.

Many royal fans and critics alike have noticed that the royal family made an effort to wish Prince Harry a very happy 40th birthday but completely ignored Meghan Markle on her 43rds birthday earlier in the month. And of course, a lot of people want to know why.

This Is The Reason Why The Royal Family Is Leaving Out Meghan Markle

Apparently, there’s a reason why Meghan was left out from the birthday wishes and has not even been mentioned on any of the royal family’s social media accounts since she and Prince Harry pulled the plug on their working relationship with the royals back in 2020.

It’s being heavily speculated on social media that the royals would like to have Prince Harry back in the royal fold but simply do not want Meghan anywhere near them, let alone back in the royal family.

If that weren’t enough, a lot of people also noticed that the royals used a ‘cropped’ photo of Prince Harry for his birthday post.

However, one expert said that it is “standard practice to crop images to get singles, as has been done here.”

Royal Family News – What’s Next For Meghan Markle?

The expert also added that Meghan’s exclusion was not intentional, even though some people might have seen it that way.

Either way, the royals have made it pretty clear that they want nothing to do with the Duchess of Sussex and don’t plan on wishing her a happy birthday anytime soon, or ever at all.

For Meghan’s part, it doesn’t seem like she’s too bothered about it all.

That’s because she’s made it clear on her end as well that she has no plans to ever step foot on UK soil again, even if it’s for a royal family member’s funeral. She simply doesn’t want to be there.

So far Meghan Markle herself has not made any comments about the matter.

For now, let us know what you think by leaving us a line with your thoughts in our comments section below.

In the meantime, come back right here for all the latest updates and spoilers on your favorite daytime television shows and The British Royal Family.

 

 

 

 

Both of Princess Diana’s daughters-in-law have sported her jewelry…but not the sparkling headpiece that the late Princess of Wales donned at her 1981 royal wedding

Princess Diana; Kate Middleton; Meghan Markle. Photo: Terry Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images; Chris Jackson/Getty Images; BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images

Neither Kate Middleton nor Meghan Markle has worn the Spencer Tiara, the sparkling headpiece that their late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, donned when she married the future King Charles…and it’s unlikely that Prince William and Prince Harry’s wives ever will.

Both the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex made their royal tiara debuts on their wedding days. Princess Kate, 42, borrowed the Cartier Halo Tiara from Queen Elizabeth for her 2011 wedding to Prince William at Westminster Abbey. Meanwhile, Meghan, 43, was lent the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau Tiara from the royal family’s collection for her 2018 walk down the aisle at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

Meghan’s only tiara wear came at her wedding, but Kate has gone on to sport the royal headpieces for occasions like state banquets, palace receptions and even other royal weddings. In total, she’s donned four different tiaras, with the Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara becoming her go-to (the Princess of Wales has worn the accessory on 11 different occasions dating back to 2015).

While the Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara was also a favorite of Princess Diana’s during her marriage to Charles, neither of the late royal’s daughters-in-law has ever worn what might be her most well-known head topper: the Spencer Tiara. Diana sported the family heirloom at her 1981 wedding to the future monarch and also used it at other white-tie events in the following years.

Princess Diana wears the Spencer Tiara at a banquet in Munich in November 1987.Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty

Every Time Kate Middleton Has Worn a Tiara — See the Photos!

The Spencer Tiara has been in the Spencer family for nearly a century, according to The Court Jeweller, and was also worn by both of Diana’s sisters, Jane and Sarah, at their weddings. The headpiece most recently resurfaced on Celia McCorquodale, Princess Diana’s niece, at her 2018 wedding.

However, it’s unlikely that the Spencer Tiara was considered for Kate or Meghan’s bridal looks.

Lauren Kiehna of The Court Jeweller previously told Marie Claire that the Spencer Tiara was not an option for either Kate and Meghan on their wedding days because “it was never a royal tiara.” Instead, both Prince William and Prince Harry’s wives borrowed headpieces from Queen Elizabeth’s collection.

Kate Middleton; Meghan Markle. AP (2)

The Spencer Tiara remains in the Spencer family. Kiehna said, “While she was Princess of Wales, Diana often borrowed the tiara from her father and her brother [Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer], who still owns it now. Eventually, it will be passed along with the rest of the family estate to Earl Spencer’s son, Viscount Althorp.”

Although the 9th Earl Spencer technically could loan the headpiece to Princess Kate or Meghan, it’s unlikely.

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Princess Diana wears the Spencer Tiara in India in February 1992.Jayne Fincher/Getty

Every Time Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton Have Worn Princess Diana’s Jewelry

While chances of the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex sporting the Spencer Tiara are slim, Kate and Meghan continue to sartorially honor their late mother-in-law through other jewels from Diana’s collection. In addition to earrings, bracelets and necklaces, Prince William and Prince Harry have both gifted their wives with sentimental rings that previously belonged to their mother.

The Prince of Wales, 42, proposed to Kate in 2010 with Diana’s famous diamond and sapphire engagement ring. In their engagement interview, William said, “It’s my mother’s engagement ring. So, I thought it was quite nice because obviously, she’s not going to be around to share any of the fun and excitement of it all — this was my way of keeping her sort of close to it all.”

During an April 2023 outing in Wales, Princess Kate said she was “honored” to wear the ring — and even revealed that it was the “same size” as when Diana had it!

Kate Middleton and Prince William (left); Princess Diana and Prince Charles.Chris Jackson/Getty ; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty

Princess Diana only had one engagement ring, but Prince Harry, 39, inherited an aquamarine ring that was a gift for his mother to wear in place of her engagement ring following her 1996 divorce from Prince Charles. Diana was given the square-cut jewel by her friend Lucia Flecha de Lima, the wife of the former ambassador of Brazil to the U.K., veteran royals journalist Richard Kay previously said in the Daily Mail.

Meghan first wore the aquamarine ring in public on her wedding day as she and Prince Harry headed to their evening reception, and it’s popped up on Meghan’s finger during royal tours and galas.

Prince Harry also designed Meghan’s three-diamond engagement ring to include two gems from his mother’s personal collection.

The actress channels the late princess for the upcoming ’90s-era film, Spencer

Neon

Kristen Stewart transforms into Princess Diana in the upcoming film Spencer, which follows the late royal over the course of a pivotal weekend in her life: December 1991, when she decides to leave her husband, Prince Charles.

The Pablo Larraín-directed film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and will arrive in theaters on Nov. 5; you can watch the full trailer now.

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Ring Thing

Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana. Shoebox Films

Here, a close-up of Stewart in character, wearing a replica of Princess Diana’s famous blue sapphire engagement ring, which was later passed down to her son Prince William, who gave it to Kate Middleton upon their engagement.

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Proper in Plaid

Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana. firo/Sebastian El-Saqqa/DPA Picture Alliance/Avalon

Wearing the same plaid jacket, the actress grabs a face mask in between scenes.

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The People’s Princess

Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana. NEON

In the biopic’s trailer, Princess Diana wears a black hat with a netted face covering and a red jacket as she turns shyly away from paparazzi.

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Spotted on Set

CLICK NEWS AND MEDIA/MEGA

Like with essentially any outfit she wore, Princess Diana found a way to make jeans and an oversized sweater, worn for this scene, incredibly chic.

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Here Comes the Bride

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Ahead of their ill-fated marriage, the newlywed tears up on the day of her wedding to Prince Charles.

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A Room of One’s Own

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The trailer gives a brief glimpse of the royal standing forlornly in a ballgown and a jacket in a dark room.

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Keeping It Together

Princess Diana’s sense of style has transcended decades. In this behind-the-scenes shot, Stewart’s Diana strolls palace grounds in a stylish checkered coat.

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Having a Ball

Neon

Stewart’s Diana looks distraught as she hurries down a hallway, decked out in pearls and a strapless gown, closely followed by two staffers.

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On the Run

Neon

In another clip from the trailer, Princess Diana walks her estate in this yellow ensemble. Later, cameras cut to her running in the same outfit.

 

King Charles III has cleared his stance about Prince Harry’s royal title with his powerful message as his relationship with the Duke has taken a surprising turn.

 

The 75-year-old monarch, who reached out his estranged son Harry on his milestone birthday, has seemingly confirmed with his message that he has no intention to strip Harry of his royal title as he called him the Duke of Sussex.

The King, who’s still receiving treatment for his cancer, has sent a message to all about his decision regarding Harry’s future as there is still a lot of love between the father and son.

There are also reports that the father-son duo communicate to each other via video call. Harry reportedly also kept the King entertained with his and Meghan’s two kids Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s activities at home in Montecito.

However, there are speculations that there’s no such relationship between two brothers Prince William and Harry even though the Prince and Princess of Wales also shared the message to celebrate Harry’s 40th birthday.

The Buckingham Palace and the Kensington Palace shared Harry’s photo on his day with caption: “Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!,” explaining the world Harry is still a very much royal.

Reacting to the royal family’s post, one commented: “He does not deserve even a public greeting after everything he did, despite being the king’s son, he renounced his duties.

“Those who deserve your greetings the most are Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie since they are not official working members either but they provide more loyalty and commitment than Harry.”

Another wore in the comments section: “Long live the most handsome and honourable prince! He has all my admiration.”

The third one penned: “There hasn’t been a post like this in years towards Harry. So nice to see!”

One royal fan took a thinly-veiled dig at the Duke with his words: “If only this 40th birthday could bring him wisdom, maturity, class and humility.”

Beyoncé oozes confidence when she’s on stage and has millions of fans around the world who look up to her.

What’s more, the award-winning singer’s life wasn’t always this way, and her personality has changed a lot since her early years too.

During a rare interview, her mom, Tina Knowles, gave an insight into what Beyoncé was like as a child, making the heartbreaking revelation that she was bullied for a while.

Tina also disclosed that the Texas Hold ‘Em hitmaker was incredibly shy as a child.

The 70-year-old told Vogue: “Beyoncé, she was very shy and she got bullied a bit, but the day that she stood up for someone—she didn’t stand up for herself she stood up for them.

I’m getting emotional talking about it. I was just, I couldn’t have been more proud of her.”

Tina also spoke about her other “girls”, daughter Solange and Kelly Rowland, who she often refers to as her third daughter.

She said: “Solange, was her signing a petition in school, she was only in, like, fifth grade and she was out getting petitions signed. So she’s always been an activist.

“And Kelly was always this kid that just tried to protect everybody. I have a memory of her with her best friend Barbara and her being a mediator and just being this little peacemaker.”

Tina adores her family and recently gave an insight into her grandchildren’s personalities too. During a chat with E! News, she gave a rare insight into the lives of Beyoncé’s twins Rumi and Sir, six, who unlike their sister Blue Ivy, 12, have kept a lower profile in their young lives so far.

She said: “Rumi is amazing—an amazing artist, painter, and creator.” Reflecting on the twins’ flourishing creativity, Tina mused, “How could they be anything else growing up in that environment?” She emphasized that their family life is steeped in discussions about creativity and fashion, nurturing their innate talents from a very young age.

Sir, on the other hand, shares more similarities with his father, Jay-Z. “Sir is very quiet,” Tina noted, revealing that he gravitates more towards numbers than fashion. “He does all of the numbers stuff, so he’s not into fashion as much,” she explained, but quickly added that Sir is “very, very smart,” hinting at the diverse talents the twins possess.

Beyoncé shares her three children with husband Jay-Z. Despite being one of the most famous couples, they are notoriously private when it comes to their personal lives.

However, in the last year, the family have been in the news more and more thanks to Beyoncé’s numerous projects, from her Renaissance World Tour – which saw daughter Blue step into the spotlight and join her mom on stage – to the release of her new country music album, Cowboy Carter.

During the same interview, Tina spoke of her pride for Beyoncé stepping into the country music scene, which saw her recently make history as the first Black woman to top the country charts.

“We’re from Texas,” Tina explained. “We’ve been part of that culture for a long time, and I was very excited about it.”

She described Cowboy Carter as a “nice history lesson” for fans, applauding Beyoncé’s ability to educate subtly through her music. “She has this way of doing things subtly but educating, and so I’m really proud of that,” Tina shared.

David Beckham and Victoria Beckham are many things.

They are a power couple, they are ’90s and Y2K icons, they are the initiators of what aims to be a lineage of beautiful creatives (all their children and their partners),

they represent the two wolves inside us: one is the bored, sophisticated Spice Girls popstar who designs clothes, perfumes, and luxury products, never smiles, cares about fitness,

and always wears black; the other is the athlete with bleached hair and luxury watches, dressed in white at Wimbledon with his mom, sharing his exploits and life in a documentary.

The Beckham’s Wedding Anniversary

Together, these two wolves are hugely popular. Every move they make gets the attention of English tabloids and entertainment magazines.

Articles about their love, style, diet, workouts, dedications, past, present, and future are endless. Their wedding anniversary (the twenty-fifth, no less) was no exception. Their dedicated posts went viral, not only showcasing their social media prowess but also tapping into nostalgia.

Nostalgia seems to be, to date, the Beckham’s most successful marketing strategy. It generates the most comments, shares, and media buzz. It’s no surprise. We live in nostalgia, in the eternal return of icons, movies, trends, and sounds. We live in a time in our cultural history where it seems difficult, almost impossible, to bring out something new. When it happens, we celebrate it, but we return to our certainties. For many people (especially those of a certain age and older), David and Victoria Beckham represent a certainty, a memory of happier and more prosperous times. And they know it very well.