‘Uncanny’: Fans react to first picture of Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana in Spencer biopic

Twilight star will portray Diana in film that focuses on the weekend the princess decided to leave her marriage to Prince Charles

Fans have been piling praise on the first image of Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana in the forthcoming biopic Spencer, calling the resemblance between the pair “uncanny”.

The American actor is seen in the image gazing pensively, head tilted, from behind a small black veil attached to her hat. Her hair is cut in a blonde bob to match the late Princess of Wales’s hairstyle.  

Reacting to the picture on Twitter, one fan wrote: “Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana is breathtaking and for a moment I actually thought it was Diana. The resemblance here is uncanny.”

Another added: “That really took me a second, to see that was Kristen Stewart in the photo and not Diana.”

“Oh my god Kristen Stewart as Diana is too good,” said a third.

Principal photography has begun on Spencer. The film, directed by Pablo Larraín (whose credits include Jackie and Neruda), focuses on a decisive weekend in the life of Diana.

During that weekend, Diana “spends the Christmas holiday with the royal family at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, and decides to leave her marriage to Prince Charles”, according to a synopsis released by production company Neon.

Along with Stewart, the cast includes Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins, and Sean Harris.

Stewart described Spencer in a statement as “a dive inside an emotional imagining of who Diana was at a pivotal turning point in her life”. 

“It is a physical assertion of the sum of her parts, which starts with her given name, Spencer,” she added.

“It is a harrowing effort for her to return to herself, as Diana strives to hold onto what the name Spencer means to her.”

The film is currently scheduled for release in autumn 2021.