On February 5, 2026, Kristen Stewart shared how she remains deeply affected by the spirit of Princess Diana, the late Princess of Wales. The actress, who portrayed Diana in the 2021 film Spencer, revealed that thoughts of the royal can move her to tears at any time, highlighting an intense emotional bond she continues to experience.
Stewart, now 35, explained that even routine activities like driving around cities closely connected to Diana’s life—London and Paris—trigger overwhelming feelings tied to the late princess, further intensifying her sense of being haunted by Diana’s presence.
The Challenge of Portraying Diana in Spencer
Kristen Stewart was cast as Princess Diana by director Pablo Larraín in Spencer, a psychological drama focused on Diana’s emotional struggles during a pivotal three-day period in 1991. Despite feeling unqualified and reluctant at first, Stewart embraced the role, though she described her concerns about the physical differences between herself and Diana, including Diana’s distinctive blue eyes and statuesque appearance.
Stewart told the Daily Telegraph,
“I can’t drive round this city, and Paris for that matter, without thinking about her. All the love that poured out of this woman… I can cry about her at any moment.”
She also admitted pleading with Larraín to find another actress, calling his decision to cast her “insane.”
Despite these worries, Larraín insisted Stewart was the right choice because he sensed parallels between the actress’s experiences and Diana’s life, particularly the intense public scrutiny they both faced after rising to prominence.
Shared Experiences Between Stewart and Diana
Pablo Larraín recognized aspects of Stewart’s own life that mirrored Diana’s, especially the relentless attention from the media during their respective rises to fame. Stewart’s career skyrocketed with the Twilight franchise, during which she also became the focus of paparazzi and public observation, much like Diana was throughout her time in the Royal Family.
Stewart reflected on Diana’s vulnerability and rebellious nature, describing her as young and desperate for freedom amid suffocating public pressure. She said,
“And there was something about my energy. She was plucked, plucked to death [by paparazzi].”
She added poignantly,
“It does kind of soul suck.”
The Emotional Toll of Immersing in Diana’s Story
During the filming of Spencer, Stewart experienced a deep emotional exhaustion. She described feeling like a “shell,” mirroring the emotional confinement Diana endured during that tense holiday season at the Sandringham estate. The costumes, Stewart explained, acted as armor, helping her embody Diana’s physical presence amid the constraints of royal life.
“They allowed me to step into her physical space and create images of her in this prison of a castle yet wearing lavish, stunning pieces of clothing. That is a poem in itself,”
Stewart said.
Spirit and Signs from Beyond During Filming
Kristen Stewart also recounted having spiritual sensations throughout her immersion in the role. In a conversation with the Los Angeles Times, she described moments when she felt Diana’s presence in a tangible way, sometimes forgetting the princess had passed away. Stewart stated,
“Even if I was just fantasising. I felt like there were moments where I kind of got the sign-off.”
She reflected on the difficulty of sustaining Diana’s memory alive in her work, calling it
“a fight to keep her alive every day,”
which brought about profound emotional pain. Stewart noted,
“It just destroyed me constantly. And that itself felt spiritual … there were times where I was like, ‘Oh, God,’ almost like she was, you know, trying to break through.”
Describing these experiences as unique and powerful, she said,
“It was weird. And amazing. I’ve never felt anything like it in my life.”
Ongoing Impact and Reflection on Diana’s Legacy
Kristen Stewart’s portrayal of Princess Diana in Spencer not only connected her professionally to the former princess but also left a lasting personal effect. Her ongoing emotional response highlights the enduring power of Diana’s story and the profound impression she made on those interpreting her life decades after her tragic death in a 1997 car accident in Paris.
Stewart’s candid revelations contribute to a deeper understanding of the challenges involved in embodying such a complex, beloved figure, while emphasizing the timeless significance of Diana’s legacy in both the public consciousness and individual lives close to her story.
