Some old questions are raised again this week with the release of Diana, starring Naomi Watts. The film - directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel - focuses of the final years of Diana’s life, her relationships with London heart surgeon Hasnat Khan and later, Dodi Fayed. Because of the movie’s somewhat controversial subject matter, Naomi Watts has already tried to distance herself from any possible offence that it might cause, particularly to Diana’s sons, princes William and Harry. 

Naomi Watts Diana Naomi Watts as Diana.

"Hopefully if they get to see the film, they will feel that we have done it in a respectful and sensitive way," she told BBC TV. "We try to honor the depiction of her character in the best possible way."

Check out more pictures from the premiere in our gallery.

Despite Watts hope however, the film has gone largely ignored by the royal family. In addition, critics have been extremely unforgiving to the apparently inaccurate idea of the character, which the film puts forward.

Watch the Diana trailer below

The Times have already panned the film overall as “atrocious and intrusive.” The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw summarizes the biopic as “a tabloid fantasy of how famous and important people speak in private.”

With so many critics already taking issue with various aspects of the film, Diana doesn’t look likely to achieve mainstream success either. The controversial film is set to open across UK theatres on September 20.

Naomi Watts DianaNaomi Watts has defended her role as Princess Diana