‘The Crown’: Elizabeth Debicki Flawlessly Recreates Princess Diana’s Mario Testino Photo Shoot

As if The Crown‘s Elizabeth Debicki didn’t already perfectly embody the late Princess Diana on the hit Netflix royal drama, new portraits have been released further solidifying the comparison. 

In the new images from the streaming service, Debicki, playing the late Princess of Wales, poses in recreated portraits meant to resemble the famous 1997 Mario Testino photo shoot Diana did for Vanity Fair. The images were taken shortly before Diana’s untimely death in August 1997. 

In the recreated images, Debicki, sporting Diana’s blonde bob, effortlessly leans against her hand with a small smile on her face as she’s bathed in natural light. 

These portraits were taken to be featured as art on the walls of Diana’s residence in Kensington Palace on the Netflix drama by photographer Charlotte Hadden. 

“When I was first asked to take on the re-imagining of this shoot I was extremely thrilled but admittedly a little nervous,” Hadden said in a statement. “We had to try and strike a balance between our own interpretation and making sure it was still recognizable as the iconic Testino shoot with Diana.”

Hadden also noted that Debicki “embodies [Diana] so incredibly well.” 

While speaking with ET at the premiere of the show’s final season, Debicki called portraying this last chapter in Diana’s life “an immense, immense responsibility. It’s difficult to describe, it was something that we thought about, that we carried with us, that woke us up in the night.” 

Debicki continued, “We tried our very best to do [the story] properly.” 

As for getting into character, Debicki had a lot of help thanks to the hair, makeup, and wardrobe department. 

“In terms of fittings, I would say she’s probably spent upwards of 30 hours in the hair and makeup chair while we do stuff,” Cate Hall, The Crown‘s hair and makeup designer, previously told ET.

For the final season, Dominic West returns as Prince Charles, with Olivia Williams as Camilla Parker-Bowles. Khalid Abdalla is back at Dodi Fayed, and Salim Daw will return to play his father, Mohamed Al Fayed. Imelda Staunton plays the queen, Lesley Manville plays Princess Margaret and Jonathan Pryce plays Prince Philip. 

Part 1 of season 6 of The Crown is currently streaming on Netflix. Part 2 drops on Dec. 14. 

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