British Royals have been the subjects of documentaries for more than a century, perhaps none more so than Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana, whose strained and troubled relationship is the focus of Diana vs The Queen.
Diana vs The Queen is an intriguing watch. Content-wise, much of the information had come to light before and since Diana’s tragic death in 1997, but it is the almost tabloid-like presentation that makes this documentary so tantalizing.
Through voiced-over archival footage and reenactments and commentary from those in the know, the nearly hour-long program charts the rocky relationship between Diana, “the people’s Princess,” and Elizabeth II, sovereign of the British monarchy — from the former’s engagement and “there were three of us in this” marriage to heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, to her death and funeral.
It’s all quite sensational, and how can it not be, with statements such as Diana being “a prisoner of the Royal Family” in a “a royal conspiracy” by the Windsors, and Diana and Elizabeth being on “a collision course,” being bandied about by the likes of former members of the Royal staff, including Patrick Jephson, Diana’s Private Secretary; Ken Wharfe, Diana’s Security Officer and Bodyguard; and Charles Anson and Michael Shea, Press Relation Officers of the Queen.
Adding fuel to “the Queen of State versus the Queen of Hearts” fire are historian Andrew Roberts, who wrote The Royal House of Windsor;
That the friction between Diana and Elizabeth was summed up by one of the interviewees as a “conflict between tradition and modernity” seems an oversimplification when emotional frailty and stoicism, duty to country and love of the people, and more besides, were part and parcel of their relationship dynamic.
Regardless, whether one is a fan of the British Royals or not, Diana vs The Queen does tell a fascinating story of power, triumph and tragedy.
The stations below are confirmed for airing Diana vs The Queen, which begins screening today, the 1st of March. Check your local listings or contact the station serving your area for the date and time the program will air locally.
| State | City | Station |
|---|---|---|
| ARKANSAS | Arkadelphia, El Dorado, Fayetteville, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Mountain View |  |
| CALIFORNIA | San Francisco |  |
| COLORADO | Denver, Durango, Grand Junction, Pueblo/Colorado Springs, Steamboat Springs |  |
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | Washington, DC |  |
| FLORIDA | Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/West Palm Beach |  |
| GEORGIA | Atlanta |  |
| ILLINOIS | Chicago |  |
| KANSAS | Topeka |  |
| MICHIGAN | Detroit |  |
| MINNESOTA | Minneapolis/St. Paul |  |
| MONTANA | Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, Kalispell, Missoula |  |
| NEW YORK | Binghamton |  |
| NEW YORK | New York City |  |
| NORTH CAROLINA | Asheville, Chapel Hill/Raleigh-DurhamCharlotte/Concord, Edenton/Columbia, Greenville, Jacksonville, Linville, Lumberton, Roanoke Rapids, Wilmington, Winston-Salem/Greensboro/High Point |  |
| NORTH DAKOTA | Bismarck, Crookston/Grand Forks, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Ellendale, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, Williston |  |
| OHIO | Cincinnati |  |
| OHIO | Columbus |  |
| OHIO | Youngstown/Akron |  |
| SOUTH DAKOTA | Aberdeen, Eagle Butte, Lowry, Martin, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Vermillion |  |
| TEXAS | Dallas |  |
| UTAH | Provo |  |
| WISCONSIN | Milwaukee |  |
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