Commissioned by BBC and featuring interviews with her children, 2-hour special set for Sept. 1 examines aftermath of Princess Diana's death & how her legacy changed world
"Diana, 7 Days" a two-hour documentary that captures the tumultuous week following the 1997 death of Princess Diana - and how her tragedy had such an extraordinary effect on the U.K. and the world - will air on NBC Friday, Sept. 1 (8-10 p.m. ET/PT). It is produced by Sandpaper Films for the BBC.
The landmark film documents the week from Princess Diana's death to her funeral, and the outpouring of public emotion. It is the first and only time her two sons, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry, have sat for on-camera interviews about that week.
In the documentary, William and Harry share their first reactions to the news of their mother's death; memories of the outpouring of public mourning and meeting the crowds; as well as their reactions to the day of the funeral itself and the roles they played. They also share personal memories of their mother and happier times they enjoyed together, as well as reflect more broadly on her life and what she meant to them both then and now.
Included in the special, William says, "Part of the reason why Harry and I want to do this is because we feel we owe it to her. ... I think an element of it is feeling like we let her down when we were younger. We couldn't protect her. We feel we at least owe her 20 years on to stand up for her name and remind everybody of the character and person that she was. Do our duties as sons in protecting her."
Harry said, "When she died, there was such an outpour of emotion and love, which was quite shocking. It was beautiful at the same time, and it was amazing now looking back at it. It was amazing that our mother had such a huge effect on so many people. When you're that young and something like that happens to you, I think it's lodged in here, there, wherever - in your heart, in your head - and it stays there for a very, very long time. I think it's never going to be easy for the two of us to talk about our mother, but 20 years on seems like a good time to remind people of the difference that she made, not just to the Royal Family but also to the world."
The film also includes interviews with family members, close friends, political figures and journalists, including Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell, Earl Spencer and Lady Sarah McCorquodale, with many of them speaking for the first time about the events of that week.
"Diana, 7 Days" will be directed by acclaimed documentarian Henry Singer, who has won or been nominated for nearly every major British documentary award. His plaudits include the BAFTA's, Royal Television Society, Grierson, Broadcast and Broadcasting Press Guild as well as an International Emmy. His films, which include "9/11: The Falling Man," "Baby P.: The Untold Story" and "The Blood of the Rose," have been screened at festivals around the world.
