"This is a first, but I find myself dreaming about her," Watts told News Ltd on location outside of London.
"I felt like I was spending time with her. One particular time, I felt that permission was granted."
Watts' upcoming film, simply called Diana, focuses on the former Princess of Wales life after her divorce from Charles, in particular her romance with Dr Hasnat Khan (played by Lost star Naveen Andrews).
Watts, 43, was initially extremely hesitant to take on the role of "one of the most famous, if not the most famous, women of my time".
"An awful lot of pressure comes with that, so you want to get it right,"she said. "I was dreading people saying `she looks nothing like Diana', and `why her and not somebody else?'. But I couldnt not do it."
Watts' transformation into the peoples' princess has involved six weeks' training with a dialogue coach, repeated viewings of Diana's infamous interview with Martin Bashir, as well as four wigs and a prosthetic nose piece courtesy of the same make-up artist who years ago turned Meryl Streep into Lindy Chamberlain.
Watts also wears several Jacques Azagury dresses that belonged to Diana, while Versace custom-made a replica of the famous one-shouldered, blue silk dress that Diana wore to a benefit for Dr Victor Chang's Cardiac Research Institute in Sydney in 1996.
Watts said she felt Dianas presence especially keenly when wearing her original gowns.
"Theres one particular Azagury dress that was completely unaltered. I was surprised how short she wore it, quite risque! There's been a few eerie moments and that was one of them. There's been moments of a presence felt."
Director Oliver Hirschbiegel believes his leading lady has more than captured Diana's essence.
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