The Queen Movie Starring Helen Mirren: A Chronicle of Events After Diana's Death

Diana's death rocked the House of Windsor. The movie, The Queen, chronicals events as they unfolded.

We all remember where we were and what we were doing when news of that car crash touched us. Many, upon hearing of the crash, suspected that grimmer news was soon to come. Indeed it was.

Diana's tragic death sent shock waves around the world and was met with a huge outpouring of grief. The world reacted and mobilized round the globe.

It is perhaps not surprising that the movie, the Queen followed in the wake of an event that played out for months afterwards.

The Queen, a movie starring Helen Mirren, chronicles events that followed in the days and weeks after Diana's death.

Members of the Royal family are sequestered and seemingly insulated against the shock of Diana's passing, while a British public expressed anguish over the death of their beloved Princess and demanded an outward show of grief.

In the end, viewers come away with a greater respect for the woman who is Queen.

Helen Mirren offers a brilliant performance as Queen Elizabeth II, demonstrating the difficulties inherent in living in the spotlight.

As The Queen movie gets underway, newly appointed Labour Prime Minister, Tony Blair, finds his new position tested by the death of Diana, the Princess of Wales, after the fateful car crash in the Alma Bridge in Paris. Blair's gives a speech, describing Diana as "the people's princess" and the saying catches on.

As the days pass, millions of people in London and around the world appear at Buckingham and Kensington Palaces.

The Royal Family is in Aberdeenshire, at their summer estate at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Matters are far from straight-forward because Diana, while loved by the masses, is no longer considered part of the Royal family, having divorced Charles a year earlier. The Royals feel that Diana's funeral arrangements are best left to her family to attend to.

Prince Charles, along with Tony Blair, has a different viewpoint, feeling that the mother of the future king of England deserves more than a private funeral. And the public agrees.

British tabloids highlight the lack of a show of sentiment from the Royal Family and Public opinion turns against the Royal Family, while at the same time, Blair's popularity rises. In the midst of frenzy, Blair takes a moderate, reasoned approach and, while he feels the Queen's actions and attitudes are outmoded, he develops an admiration for the woman who is queen, gaining an understanding of the forces that have shaped the present-day Monarchy. Blair does not get caught in the current of anti-Royal disdain of his Labour Party, instead, he contacts the Queen at Balmoral and makes specific recommendations aimed at recapturing flagging loyatly and instilling public confidence for the Monarchy. His recommendations include a public funeral at Westminster Abbey, flying the Union Flag at half mast, and a televised speech given to the nation, honoring Diana.

Blaire's recommendations are not well-received by certain conservative factions and members of the Royal family struggle to find a happy medium between long-established protocol and the needs of an adoring public who demand an official expression of grief.

The Queen closely follows events and in spite of opposition, she takes a stand and gives a public statement, giving Diana public recognition. When the public sees this the tide turns and the Queen gains popularity. The queen recognizes that times have changed and to keep pace the Monarchy must modernize.

A touching part of the film is a scene where the Queen comes face to face with a deer and with her own feelings about Diana's death. She shoos the magnificent animal to safety and is later devastated to learn of its death. Viewers can't help to make a comparison between the death of the deer and the death of Diana.

In the end, viewers can't help but come away with a greater respect for the woman who has the difficult role of Queen.

The most critically acclaimed film of 2006, The Queen exceeded box office expectations. Mirren became the most critically acclaimed actress of the year.

A thought-provoking movie and if you are interested in the Royal Family, a good movie to have in the home library.