Princess Diana Almost Starred In A Movie With Kevin Costner

Princess Diana and King Charles, then Diana Spencer and Prince Charles, met when he was dating her older sister, Sarah Spencer. It was nearly winter in 1977 when Charles and Diana first laid eyes on one another at the Spencer family home, Althorp House. "I remember thinking what a very jolly and amusing and attractive 16-year-old she was. I mean great fun, bouncy and full of life and everything," Charles recalled of first meeting Diana during the couple's engagement interview (via YouTube). The two had a bit of a whirlwind romance, tying the knot in 1981 and welcoming their two kids, Prince William and Prince Harry, in 1982 and 1984 respectively. 

Charles and Diana's love story didn't last, however, and the two officially divorced in 1996. Free from her duties as a senior member of the British royal family, Diana was permitted to continue living at Kensington Palace, where she spent time with her boys. Her life came to a tragic end in 1997 following a car accident in Paris. Years before her death, though, Diana almost got a very unique opportunity — for a royal.

The former Princess of Wales had one of the most recognizable faces in the world and many loved her for her style, grace, and personality, which resonated with people all over the globe. What some may not know is that Lady Di almost became a movie star — with the help of her dear friend Sarah Ferguson. 

Kevin Costner was passionate about making a sequel to his hit film "The Bodyguard." The original 1992 movie saw Costner star opposite Whitney Houston and proved to be one of the greatest cinematic love stories. When it came time to think of a storyline for part two, the actor wanted to write the script with Princess Diana in mind.

In a 2019 interview with People, Costner said it was Diana's sister-in-law, Sarah Ferguson, who tried to set things up. "Sarah was really important. I always respect Sarah because she's the one that set up the conversation between me and Diana," he explained. "I just remember [Diana] being incredibly sweet on the phone, and she asked the question, she goes, 'Are we going to have like a kissing scene?' She said it in a very respectful way. She was nervous because her life was very governed," Costner said. He went on to say that he explained to Princess Diana that there would be some romance in the film, "'but we can make that okay too.'" The film would have been Diana's first time starring in a movie, and would have "paralleled Diana's relationship with the media," per Collider.

Sadly, she never got to see the opportunity through. As fate would have it, Costner had the script in his hand just one day before Diana's sudden death. "The Bodyguard" did not end up getting a sequel. 

Following her divorce from King Charles, Princess Diana reportedly wanted to live her life to the fullest so she could get out and explore the world, and to get away from the ever-present paparazzi attention. In 2003, Diana's butler Paul Burrell told "Good Morning America" that the Princess of Wales picked out a home in Malibu and was planning to move out of the U.K. "I saw the plans. We sat on the floor, spread out all the maps and the layout of the house," he recalled. "She said, 'This is our new life, just won't it be great, think of the lifestyle the boys — nobody's judgmental here in America, you don't have the class system, you don't have the establishment,'" he said.

In 2021, Diana's confidante Stewart Pearce said that she was hoping to start a career in the entertainment business, but she didn't want to be an actor. "Although she was an aficionado and keen enthusiast about the performing arts, particularly dance, but this (acting) was not something she saw as being her now creative trajectory," Pearce said, via the Mirror. He added, "I do remember her talking about the whimsey of the wonderful idea of Kevin stepping forward saying we would love to make a movie about you. She would have stayed behind the lens." It sounds like Diana was planning on spending a great deal of time in Hollywood to pursue something new, but unfortunately, she never got the chance.