Prince William rules out Diana documentary for 30th anniversary
Prince William will not make or appear in a documentary about Princess Diana to mark the 30th anniversary of her death.
He has turned down several offers, according to The Times. The anniversary falls on 31 August 2027. The report was carried by Hello Magazine.
William wants to avoid a contest in which he and his estranged brother Prince Harry are set against each other through rival films. Friends cited in the report say he regards the programmes he made for the 20th anniversary in 2017 as his final catharsis on the subject.
Harry is widely reported to be planning his own film about Diana. Netflix is said to be in the running to make it. He has reportedly begun contacting family members and friends of Diana about taking part.
The contrast with 2017 is stark. That year William and Harry worked together on two documentaries for the BBC and ITV to mark 20 years since Diana's death. One was Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, which premiered on ITV and later aired on HBO.
The 90-minute film featured both brothers speaking candidly about their memories of Diana and the effect of losing her when they were young, as reported by People. A companion BBC film aired around the same anniversary.
Friends of William expect him to mark the 30th anniversary privately. No cameras this time. He has previously chosen quiet engagements over broadcast tributes, including a visit to a children's hospice charity that Diana had opened 30 years earlier, as reported by People.
For viewers, this means next year's anniversary is unlikely to bring a joint project. One brother may speak on screen. The other, on present plans, will not.
