Distant Lives: Grief and Protocol in 'The Queen'

Stephen Frears' 2006 drama fictionalises a significant moment in recent British history: the death of Princess Diana, and the Royal Family's emotional and formal reactions to it. The film not only serves as a companion piece for learning about the events that it depicts, but also functions as a useful text for discussing power, tradition and media ethics, as Katy Marriner describes in this study guide.

Additional keywords:
Screens in the Classroom, middle years, senior secondary, Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, Queen Elizabeth, Tony Blair, duty, tradition, paparazzi, Martin Bashir, Panorama, grief, fictionalisation, government, United Kingdom, England, Great Britain