Trailer for emotional documentary about Princess Diana's life and death released by HBO

A bold documentary on the life and death of Princess Diana is coming.

Oscar-nominated film-maker Ed Perkins has taken on the intense task of chronicling the rise and fall of the People's Princess in his latest documentary and now fans get their first glimpse at what they can expect.

A full-length trailer of the eagerly awaited HBO documentary was released today and it suggests the documentary may not be an easy watch.

Made up of media clips of the Princess' public outings and royal engagements, the trailer opens by showing footage from Diana and Prince Charles' infamous 1981 engagement interview.

The future King was asked what his first impression was of his then fiancé, to which he replied, "I remember thinking what a very jolly and amusing and what an attractive 16-year-old she was."

Throughout the trailer of archival news clips and footage, Perkin's makes sure to address both the love and hate Diana was subject to during her intense fame, with the trailer including an audio clip of a reporter saying, "the princess has been the best thing to happen to the monarchy in centuries."

However, it soon takes a dark turn with another reporter saying, "The prince realises he's taking second place." The documentary appears to then draw its attention to the public backlash and media scrutiny the late Princess faced.

The trailer also features footage of young Prince William and Prince Harry, once as carefree boys and then heartbroken at their mother's funeral.

The documentary seems to be based on the question of whether the Princess's death could have been avoided with a voice in the trailer saying, "When you put a modern person in an ancient institution, they will be destroyed."

HBO's synopsis for the film is "The Princess is a visceral submersion into Diana's life in the constant and often intrusive glare of the media spotlight,"

"The film unfolds as if it were in the present, allowing viewers to experience the overwhelming adoration, but also intense scrutiny of Diana's every move and the constant judgment of her character."

Reviews of the film have already hit the press, with Variety describing it as "A perfectly timed, compulsively watchable once-over-lightly documentary."

While The Guardian said, "maybe [this] shouldn't really be as fascinating as it is, but I spent much of it on the edge of my seat."

• The Princess is coming to cinemas in New Zealand on August 4.

This article was first published by the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.