New series of Netflix’s The Crown is ‘vicious’ and ‘would have destroyed’ the Queen, one of the late monarch’s closest friends says
- The ‘vicious’ latest season of the crown ‘would have destroyed the Queen’
- Close friend of late Queen said she’s horrified by how the family are portrayed
- Fifth series is due to be the most contentious yet with controversial storylines
- Show touches on Princess Diana’s death and Charles and Camilla’s relationship
The latest season of the crown ‘would have destroyed the Queen’ because of how ‘vicious’ the dramatised plotlines are, one of her close friends has revealed.
Among the most controversial scenes are reenactments of Princess Diana’s funeral and the fire which tore through Windsor Castle in 1992.
The fifth series of Netflix’s hit drama will also include scenes of then-Prince Charles lobbying prime minister John Major in 1991 to force his mother to abdicate.
Major’s spokesman has described the script as ‘damaging and malicious fiction’ and ‘a barrel-load of nonsense peddled for no other reason than to provide maximum, and entirely false, dramatic impact’.
Now, an unnamed close friend of the late Queen has told The Sunday Times she’s ‘horrified’ by the vicious untruths set to be presented as fact when the season airs on November 9.
The latest season of the crown ‘would have destroyed the Queen’ because of how ‘vicious’ the dramatised plotlines are, one of her close friends has revealed
‘I’m horrified by what is going on with Netflix and how they are vilifying the royal family. It is vicious. It’s as if they’re trying to destroy the royal family,’ the source said.
‘It would have destroyed her.’
The close friend has joined calls for Netflix to include a disclaimer stating the show is fiction ahead of every episode.
This season will cover events from 1990 to 1997 – a famously tumultuous period of royal history.
A spokesman for Netflix said the show has always been a fictional dramatisation of the royal family’s inner workings.
‘Series five is… imagining what could have happened behind closed doors during a significant decade for the royal family – one that has already been scrutinised and well-documented by journalists, biographers and historians.’
A teaser trailer from the new season revealed the show will chronicle the early days of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla’s relationship.
The series will showcase the couple – played by Dominic West and Olivia Williams – sharing intimate moments while they were married to other people.
One impending storyline which has the potential to cause the most angst for the royal family is the dramatisation of Princess Diana’s death and funeral.
Amid mounting outrage over the show’s disregard for historical truth, the macabre scenes depict a grief-stricken William and Prince Harry – then aged 15 and 12.
To the further horror of Diana’s family and friends, The Crown’s production team will be in Paris next week to recreate her final hours, The Mail on Sunday revealed.
They will shoot scenes of Diana’s final days, spent in the French capital with her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed. While it is understood that the crash in which they died won’t be recreated, scenes of them leaving the Ritz hotel together will be.
Imelda Staunton and Jonathon Pryce, who play the Queen and Prince Philip in the new series of The Crown, received honours from Prince William and the Queen
Last night those close to the Royal Family lambasted the Netflix series as ‘crude, cruel and totally insensitive, particularly in light of the Queen’s recent death’.
William Shawcross, the Queen Mother’s official biographer, said: ‘Nothing is sacred to [the writer of The Crown] Peter Morgan. He has made his republican sentiments and his contempt for our late Queen very clear.
‘This is a vile series which lies to the public and has been incredibly hurtful to the Royal Family from the Queen and our new King down. Unlike any other family, they cannot sue.’
An unnamed close friend of the late Queen has told The Sunday Times she’s ‘horrified’ by the vicious untruths set to be presented as fact when the season airs on November 9
It is most unlikely that Morgan and his colleagues on The Crown will have failed to understand the sensitivities around recreating the day William and Harry had to say goodbye to their beloved mother, who died aged 36.
Both Princes have spoken publicly of their anguish at having to follow the coffin for its final mile along the Mall, through Horse Guards Parade, along Whitehall to Parliament Square and on to Westminster Abbey.
The Duke of Sussex has been notably outspoken, telling biographer Angela Levin: ‘My mother had just died and I had to walk a long way behind her coffin, surrounded by thousands of people watching me while millions more did on television.
‘I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today. No child should lose their mother at such a young age and then have his grief observed by thousands of people.’
Another storyline with show King Charles’ relationship with the Queen Consort (played by Olivia Williams)
Three Dames who starred in The Crown join calls for Netflix to add an onscreen disclaimer making clear the royal drama’s storylines are fiction
By Chris Hastings for The Mail On Sunday
Three Dames of the British Empire who starred in The Crown have said Netflix must add an onscreen disclaimer making clear the royal drama’s explosive storylines are fiction rather than historical fact.
The call by Dame Eileen Atkins, Dame Harriet Walter and Dame Janet Suzman, who were made DBEs for their service to drama, comes after a string of public figures have already called on the US streaming giant to act.
Last week in this newspaper, Sir John Major condemned The Crown as a ‘barrel load of malicious nonsense’. And just days ago, Dame Judi Dench branded it ‘crude sensationalism’ and urged Netflix to add a disclaimer.
Last night, Dame Eileen, who played Queen Mary in the first series, said: ‘My friends in America tell me that many people there think it’s a documentary. Mostly if you are talking about real people, you say this is fiction based on fact. I don’t know why this hasn’t happened with this.’
Dame Harriet, who played Sir Winston Churchill’s wife Clementine, said: ‘People have believed Shakespeare’s version of Richard III for centuries, but no one is alive to object on his behalf. By contrast, there are many people alive now who could be hurt if they thought the public might believe this.’
This newspaper has led the campaign for Netflix to recognise its obligation to act.
Dame Janet, who played a literary agent in series four, said: ‘This is clearly fiction and people must know it.’
Jemima Khan,who worked on the show until severing ties with it last year over its depiction of her friend Princess Diana, said: ‘There should be a disclaimer in all episodes.’
Last week Netflix released a new trailer, accompanied by a statement online that acknowledges the drama is a ‘fictional dramatisation’.
But so far it has refused to add a similar statement on TV.
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