This gave me a new light on the Monarchy

Rating: 10/10 (16 May 2007)

My daughter (in her mid thirties) loved Diana and was crushed by her death. When this movie came out I asked her if she had seen it and she said, "No, I could never see it, it would bring back bad memories." I did want to see it and rented it on DVD just to see Helen Mirren's Oscar winning performance. I would now have to tell my daughter and all others who loved Diana not to let sad memories keep you from this wonderful experience. The death itself was handled delicately. To witness the behind the scene frustration of the royal family in this time of crisis was the main story. Their not knowing how to handle the wave of grief coming from their subjects and others from around the world when they themselves held no grief for the woman who, in their minds, scandalized them. I thought Michael Sheen nearly stole the show as Tony Blair, both in appearance and voice. I had no idea that Tony Blair was so instrumental in getting the family to come around. I have never understood the British keeping the monarchy. I never thought the royals were worth keeping. But through this movie I was brought closer to what their purpose in English life is all about.