Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy | Review

Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy
ITV

Princess Diana's life captivated the world. Her elegance, her compassion, her style, her grace inspired millions. She was the People's Princess. So when she died so unexpectedly and tragically, the world turned out to mourn her loss, with an outpouring of love and sympathy that was unprecedented for the modern monarchy. Princess Diana's life had a major impact on not just the monarchy but also on the whole of British culture. 
 
Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy is just one of many documentaries being released during the 20th anniversary of the Princess's death, but this one is special because it features interviews with her sons, William and Harry, who are speaking about their mother publicly for the first time since her death. The documentary features stories about Diana and her life achievements from her family and close friends and from the people who were directly impacted by her work as a humanitarian. Focusing primarily on the charitable work the Princess did and lasting impact she made during her life rather than the drama surrounding her, the documentary maintains a dignified look at the life and legacy of Princess Diana through the eyes of those who knew her best. 
 
Obviously, the major selling point of Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy is the participation of her sons. Their remarks about their mother were quite powerful and moving; they brought Diana out of a cloud of scandal and drama and returned her image to a much brighter light. Their interviews are touching at times, making your heartbreak thinking about the devastation these two boys must have faced following the death of their beloved mother. Harry was particularly candid about his grief and pain following his mother’s passing and his regrets about his final moments spent with his mother. William, on the other hand, continued to maintain his level demeanor and royal dignity, being less open about his feelings following the tragedy, but still honoring his mother's legacy. The testimony of William and Harry is brave and powerful as it depicts two sons who are still overcome with grief but are determined to carry on their mother's work to help keep her spirit alive.  


Diana's life left many legacies - her charities, her activism, her children, her style – as her status and prestige allowed her to push for a change in the world. The documentary, probably due to her son's involvement, focused primarily on her work with charities and social issues like AIDS, homelessness, and land mines. The program glowingly explored the work carried out by Diana during her lifetime, and evoked sentiment when the people directed affected by her work spoke out about how she impacted their lives. The program provided an interesting look at Diana’s legacy, but the squeaky clean image the documentary tried to portray of the Princess may have been a bit far fetched.
 
Whether you loved her or you hated her, Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy proves that Princess Diana’s legacy is far more than the troubled girl with an affirmation for the limelight.