Royals
Princess Diana AI Videos Rack Up Millions of Views, Stir Ethical Debate
Nearly 30 years after Princess Diana‘s 1997 death in a Paris car crash while fleeing paparazzi, one of the most photographed women in the world is now being recreated by artificial intelligence for social media engagement.
The wave of content arrives as Diana would have turned 65 on Wednesday, July 1.
AI-generated videos reimagining Diana in modern, sometimes surreal scenarios are racking up millions of views online — and stirring a fierce ethical debate, according to a USA Today report published July 1.
Per the article, AI and deepfake expert Henry Ajder said the trend has a name: “This is what I refer to as synthetic resurrection. It has become a really big trend.”
Ajder said he doubts most creators are “die-hard fans of the royal family, wanting to pay tasteful and respectful tributes to Diana,” suggesting many are instead chasing “financial return” through engagement-driven platform payouts, per the report.
One Instagram video showing Diana eating her reported favorite foods has racked up 2.8 million views, while another on X depicts her in heaven alongside Pope Francis, Robin Williams and Kobe Bryant, according to the report.
Social media consultant Matt Navarra said the sheer volume of the clips risks blurring fact and fiction for viewers. “Younger audiences in particular may encounter authentic archive footage and fabricated footage in exactly the same vertical feeds,” he said, according to USA Today. “One silly video probably doesn’t rewrite history, but thousands of synthetic videos can slowly muddy the visual record.”
Per the outlet, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams called the trend “obviously tasteless,” and said, “The problem is that it does not seem possible to control this sort of activity.”
Navarra added that the videos place Diana’s family, including sons Prince William, 44, and Prince Harry, 41, in an uncomfortable position, since her grandchildren are sometimes depicted in fabricated footage too. “The creator controls the image, but the family carries the emotional consequences,” he said, per the report.
