Actress Naomi Watts was in the northern Croatian resort town of Opatija on Tuesday (July 3) to start principal filming on the upcoming"Diana" feature in which she plays the late British princess.

The film, which is directed by Oscar nominated German director of "Downfall" Oliver Hirschbiegel, deals with the last two years of Diana's life before her tragic death in a Paris car accident in 1997.

The shooting in Croatia will last for about a week. It's set to kick off in Opatija, once a favourite summer playground of the Austrian imperial family.

Earlier in May on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, Watts spoke about the prospect of taking on such an iconic role.

SOUNDBITE: Actress Naomi Watts, on the pressure of playing the late Princess Diana in the new film, saying (English):

"I haven't really, sort of, dealt with it yet, but it's definitely rising. And it's very scary, a big undertaking."

Other filming locations over the nine-week shoot include Mozambique, various locations in and around London and the south of England.

The movie is set for a February release early next year in France, with other territories to follow.

Kathi Urban, Reuters