Kristen Stewart transforms into Princess Diana: See photos in first look for new film 'Spencer'

The first photo of Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana in the upcoming film "Spencer" –and the actress' resemblance to the late royal is causing a jaw-dropping reaction.

The still, released Wednesday, from the Pablo Larraín' film shows Stewart with short blonde hair, dressed in a striking red coat and black fascinator-style hat with mesh covering her face as she looks out sideways.

"Spencer" imagines one December 1991 weekend in Princess Diana's life where she spent Christmas with the royal family in Sandringham Estate and decided to leave Prince Charles.

The movie "is a dive inside an emotional imagining of who Diana was at a pivotal turning point in her life. It is a physical assertion of the sum of her parts, which starts with her given name: Spencer," Stewart said in an emailed statement. "It is a harrowing effort for her to return to herself, as Diana strives to hold onto what the name Spencer means to her."

"Spencer" is expected to be released in Fall of 2021, ahead of the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana's death in 2022.

Princess Diana also made an appearance in Netflix's lavish retelling of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, "The Crown," which contributed to the series' success in Season 4. Diana was played by Emma Corrin who, like Stewart, also bears a strong resemblance to the former princess of Wales.

Princess Diana and Prince Charles' marriage began breaking down soon after their 1981 wedding due in part to their age differences and incompatibility. She believed the Prince of Wales had returned to his former lover (and now his wife), Camilla Parker Bowles and meanwhile she embarked on affairs with other men.

In December 1992, the prime minister announced the couple's separation.

In November 1995, BBC's newsmagazine Panorama aired Martin Bashir's interview with Diana at Kensington Palace, which had been planned and carried out in secrecy. During the conversation, she gave her most famous quote in regards to the love triangle with her soon-to-be ex-husband and his longtime love, Camilla Parker Bowles: "Well, there were three of us in the marriage so it was a bit crowded."

By the end of 1995, after each of them had done TV interviews that shocked the nation and embarrassed the monarchy, the queen ordered the couple to divorce. It was a step Diana always said she didn’t want to take, but the couple were divorced in July 1996.

The following year in August 1996, the terms of the royal divorce are finalized. Diana is awarded a lump-sum settlement of $22.5 million in cash, as well as about $600,000 a year earmarked to maintain her private office in addition to receiving permission to continue living in their Kensington Palace apartment. She agreed to give up any future claim of being queen. However, she was stripped of the title Her Royal Highness and was henceforth referred to as Diana, Princess of Wales, seen as a petty move on the part of the palace.

A little over a year later, in August 1997, Diana was killed in a car wreck in a Paris traffic tunnel.

Contributing: Elise Brisco, Maria Puente, Kelly Lawler and Jayme Deerwester, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Princess Diana: Kristen Stewart transforms in 'Spencer' film photo