Spoilers ahead for the movie Spencer (2021).
Spencer, a 2021 drama and historical film, focuses on the life of Diana, Princess of Wales. While royalty is typically viewed as something aspirational, Spencer showcases the dark side of fame and the overall pressure of the throne.
The film also shows other raw, realistic components of Princess Diana’s life, such as her battle with an eating disorder. It is widely known that the Princess of Wales struggled with bulimia, also known as bulimia nervosa.
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Bulimia is an eating disorder characterized by binging which is then followed by tactics to avoid weight gain. It is an emotional disorder that encompasses a misrepresentation of one’s body image and an all-consuming desire to lose weight. It is a constant cycle of extreme overeating followed by intense sadness and self-induced vomiting, purging, or fasting. There is often much shame and guilt that surrounds bulimia.
Before her tragic passing, Princess Diana spoke about her struggles with bulimia. She described bulimia as a “disease” that is deeply tied to one’s perception of their worth or value. Therefore, it was not too surprising when the film made the bold choice to shed some light on her struggles with disordered eating.
In the film, the audience sees the Princess of Wales’s eating habits during a fictional account of a Christmas spent at the Sandringham Estate, a royal residence in England. At the same time, the audience watches the breakdown of Princess Diana’s marriage to Prince Charles.
During this scene, the Princess and Prince of Wales can barely make eye contact with one another; however, they are forced to spend the holiday together due to obligations with the Royal Family. While we see Princess Diana’s children, William and Harry, greet her happily, the rest of the family is not as welcoming.
CREDIT: NEON
One of the scenes that was particularly triggering for Princess Diana was the Royal Family tradition of weighing each family member before the holiday festivities. Diana feels extremely uncomfortable with this but is forced to do so due to Queen Elizabeth’s order. In order to get her retaliation, Princess Diana purposely shows up to events late, wears the incorrect attire, and leaves the curtains in her room open which goes against royal protocol.
The time spent at the Sandringham Estate is fully scheduled. During this time, the Princess of Wales was required to constantly surround herself with members of the Royal Family despite them not wanting her to be there. The members of the family were cold and stand-offish, talking behind Diana’s back which added to her discomfort.
Diana’s time is spent opening gifts on Christmas Eve and watching the Queen’s Christmas Day speech amongst additional royal duties. Being alone or having time for any type of reflection was simply not an option for Princess Diana at this time.
A major scene involving food in the film involves the family’s tradition of lavish meals with multiple courses. Each member of the Royal Family has an assigned attendant. The attendant is responsible for watching the family members eat their food and drink their beverage, paying attention to when plates need to be taken away and when drinks need to be refilled. For the Princess of Wales, this tradition was pure misery.
For individuals with eating disorders, the last thing they want is attention brought to their eating habits. Often, people with eating disorders want to be left alone and not have any comments made on their weight or appearances.
Some people may feel entitled to share their opinion on one’s appearance, specifically treating weight loss like a victory that needs to be celebrated. Especially for someone like Princess Diana, the scrutiny of public opinion and the constant monitoring by the media deeply impacted her self-image.
Princess Diana’s eating disorder is viewed as a secret within the Royal Family. One of Diana’s stylists even comments on her rapid weight loss since she has to take her dress in. This angers the Prince of Wales who makes a harsh comment to the Princess. In the movie, Prince Charles states that Diana should “do [the Royal Family] the courtesy of not regurgitating it all into a lavatory bowl before the church bells even ring.”
These types of comments can be extremely harmful to those struggling with disordered eating. There was no sympathy embedded in his comment. Instead, Prince Charles was openly showcasing his contempt and irritation.
On the other hand, some people show consideration to Diana’s eating habits. The family’s chef is careful to add dishes to the menu that he knows Princess Diana enjoys, hoping that she’ll be able to eat and keep down some of the food. While this simplifies the complex topic of eating disorders, it is nice to know that the chef meant well and showed Diana some compassion.
CREDIT: NEON
It is important to note that Spencer is fictitious. That is to say, it shows a potential theory of what could have happened during Princess Diana’s time spent at Sandringham Estate. It is loosely based on specific facts, such as Diana’s tumultuous relationship with the Royal Family, the ending of her marriage to Prince Charles, and her struggles with bulimia.
The film undeniably pulled back the curtains on disordered eating. Often, mental health issues and eating disorders are either glamorized or downplayed in media predictions; however, some people believe that Kristen Stewart’s depiction of Princess Diana can be inspiring for those who are struggling. Others believe that the film was too graphic.
If you are interested in watching Spencer but you struggle with disordered eating, a trigger warning should certainly be issued. The film shows many scenes involving purging and weight is mentioned several times throughout the film. After all, the movie was trying to showcase the reality of Diana’s life at that moment in time which included mental health issues and eating problems.
If you are struggling with disordered eating, we highly recommend that you seek the help of an eating disorder therapist.
An eating disorder counselor can:
Give you a better understanding of the eating disorder itself
Address the psychological components of an eating disorder
Treat potential co-occurring disorders
Teach you healthy coping mechanisms
Show you that you are not alone in your struggles
Allow you to be inspired by others overcoming their hardships
Teach you how to develop a positive relationship with food
As Princess Diana bravely stated, eating disorders are rooted in an everlasting longing for absolute perfection. This pressure includes the way we look. What should be healthy nourishment is turned into an internal battle where food is made the villain.
Overall, Spencer shows the harsh realities of disordered eating. If you struggle with disordered eating, you should take caution in watching this film. If you have not done so already, seeking professional treatment for your eating disorder is a great, courageous step towards living your healthiest life.
Victoria Scala
is the Social Media Manager at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is currently an undergraduate student at the Honors College of Rutgers University-Newark, looking to study Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the graduate level. As a Social Media Manager at Anchor Therapy, Victoria is committed to producing content for and managing the office’s social media presence and blog.
