Earl Spencer Praises Kristen Stewart’s Performance in ‘Spencer’ Despite Criticizing the Film’s Historical Accuracy

The 9th Earl Spencer, brother of the late Princess Diana, has offered a nuanced response to the critically acclaimed film Spencer. Spencer praised Kristen Stewart’s powerful performance as his sister but also criticized the film’s plot as largely fictional and historically inaccurate, stressing that it should not be taken as a factual biography.

Charles Spencer, Earl Spencer, described Kristen Stewart’s acting in the film Spencer as “good,” but criticized the movie for its lack of historical accuracy and said it was a “fantasy” rather than a true account of Princess Diana’s life. He said the film captures emotional truths, but much of it isn’t based on fact.

Charles Spencer recently commented on the tension between the film’s artistic merit and its factual accuracy in remarks about the drama, which Netflix distributes. Earl told the media it would be a challenge to portray someone so familiar to the public but praised Stewart’s ability to capture the essence of his sister’s presence.

“She did a good job,” Spencer said of Kristen Stewart’s portrayal. He was aware of the physical and emotional toll of the role, saying Stewart conveyed the vulnerability and loneliness of the later years of Diana’s life in the royal family.

But Spencer was firm about how far the film veered from reality. He called the plot, which revolves around a tense Christmas holiday in which Diana allegedly decides to leave Prince Charles, a “work of fiction.” “It’s a fantasy,” Spencer said, urging viewers to distinguish between Hollywood dramatization and the record. He said some of the key scenes, including staff interactions and emotional breakdowns, were fabricated for dramatic effect and didn’t actually happen.

In 2021, Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín’s Spencer sparked a widespread discussion among royal historians and biographers. Spencer is a “fable from a true tragedy,” rather than a biopic that tries to cover a lifetime, and it’s set over a single speculative weekend in 1991.

Earl Spencer’s remarks reflect broader criticism from royal experts that the film perpetuates myths about how the Royal Family treated Diana. While the film suggests a hostile atmosphere at Sandringham, historical sources and earlier comments from the Spencer family suggest a more complicated picture.

Spencer said he respected the work of art, but the film could misrepresent his sister’s life in the public mind. “People have to remember this is not a documentary,” he cautioned. He feared that younger generations, unacquainted with the actual chronology of events, would take the film’s narrative as historical fact.

The Spencers have long guarded Princess Diana’s legacy. Charles Spencer, who delivered a famous eulogy at Diana’s funeral in 1997, has often spoken about his sister’s humanity and charity work, contrasting the realities of her life with the sensationalized portrayals in the media that plagued her life.

The family has had mixed feelings about previous adaptations, including the 2013 film Diana and several television documentaries. In Spencer’s case, the production was not a cooperative effort between the filmmakers, the Spencer family, and the Royal Household. It was an independent, interpretive production. This failure to consult probably led the Earl to describe the film as a “fantasy.”

Meanwhile, Kristen Stewart was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance, and critics praised her ability to capture Diana’s mannerisms and mental state without resorting to pure impersonation.

Earl Spencer’s comments raise the balance between freedom of artistic expression in filmmaking and the duty of historical accuracy, especially when it concerns portraying real-life individuals who are no longer alive. His distinction is a vital reminder to the public about media literacy: good performances are not the same as factual reporting.

It’s still vital for the Royal Family and the Spencer estate to control the narrative. Stewart’s talent is validated, but the story is not, so Charles Spencer manages to do justice to his sister’s memory without endorsing a story he considers false.

Spencer is still streaming on Netflix, continuing to stir discussion among new audiences. The Spencer family has no plans to release a counter-documentary at this time. Still, Charles Spencer continues to speak publicly and write to preserve what he considers the true history of his sister’s life and contributions.