Actress Naomi Watts is to play Princess Diana in a movie about the late royal’s final two years.

Film-makers said Caught in Flight would focus on a period when Diana, former wife of Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, found true personal happiness shortly before her death in a 1997 car crash in Paris. Diana wed Charles in a glittering ceremony in 1981, but the unhappy marriage ended in 1996. The prince then wed his long-time companion Camilla Parker-Bowles in 2005.

Ms Watts, who won widespread critical acclaim for her role as Betty Elms in the 2001 psychological thriller Mulholland Drive, said it was an honour to be able to play the iconic role of the woman known as the People’s Princess.

“Princess Diana was loved across the world and I look forward to rising to the challenge of playing her on screen,” said the 44-year-old star, who also won an Oscar nomination for her role as a recovering drug addict in 21 Grams. The movie about the Princes, who was just 36 when she died, will be directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, best known for his epic 2004 film Downfall about the final days of Hitler. “I am delighted to have such a truly exceptional actress who embodies the warmth, humanity and empathy of such a global icon as Princess Diana,” he said.

Ms Watts – born in Britain but emigrated to Australia in her teens – will start work on the Britain-based production later this year.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.