Royal Family dramatisation ‘The Crown’ has been an undeniable success with audiences in the UK and internationally, since it debuted on Netflix four years ago. Its popularity was highlighted by the streaming giant’s rare decision to release viewing figures, which showed 73 million households had tuned into the series. But portraying such controversial and beloved figures, such as the royals, was no easy task. Particularly Prince Philip, who is known for a number of scandals leading up to and during his tenure as the Duke of Edinburgh.
This week, HBO ‘Game of Thrones’ actor Jonathan Pryce was announced to take over the role from Tobias Menzies, who followed BBC’s ‘Doctor Who’ star Matt Smith.
In a candid moment, Prince Philip gave insight into what he thought about the popular TV show – a biopic that has intrigued monarchists and republicans alike.
The comments were made to Matt Smith – who was one of a handful of guests invited to a private dinner party with Queen Elizabeth II.
Upon his arrival, the 99-year-old Duke quizzed: “What do you do? Are you involved in this… ‘Crown’ thing?”
Despite his apparent denial of any prior knowledge, show creator Peter Morgan has regularly maintained that the Royal Family are “very, very aware” of the programme.
Smith probed the royal further: “[Prince] Philip, I’m just wondering, because I have some friends who made The Crown, have you watched any?”
In a blunt response, the Duke stopped and scowled before he uttered: “Don’t. Be. Ridiculous!”
The actor “exploded with laughter” as he recounted the interaction to The Guardian in 2017 and admitted that he had his doubts over the royal’s statement.
He said: “Whether it’s true or not, I don’t know, but I just think he’s a bit of a cool cat.
“And that’s what I love about him – he’s done what he wants, when he wants, how he wants, with whom he wants. He hasn’t asked permission. And his wife’s the Queen.”
Smith confessed his initial fears about not being a “great casting” for Prince Philip due to his appearance and background, but during filming noted “an interesting synergy”.
One parallel between the Duke and the man who portrayed him was their shared love for sport – albeit with rather contrasting selections.
The royal favoured polo, sailing and carriage driving, whereas Smith played for the youth teams of football clubs Northampton Town, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City.
He said: “I grew up surrounded by lads and I like that culture – I like the camaraderie and the way you can take each other down, and that still exists between me and my mates.
“We get together and we tear each other to bits and we laugh. And in the tearing each other to bits, there’s something about it that entertains me, I suppose.
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“But also, at the end of that, you have a sporting endeavour or whatever it is together and I like that sense of a team. I think Philip liked all that, too.”
Smith, a self-professed “lowly middle-classer” by comparison to his muse, admitted it was interesting to play such an important royal at a time when masculinity was being redefined.
He explained that “maleness has been perverted and misconstrued” – a difficulty highlighted in the show by Philip frustrating over being the only man in Britain unable to pass down his name to his children.
Smith gave a glowing review of the Duke from his research for the role: “He’s very bright, he’s funny, he’s hugely popular in the royal house… people who have worked there, he was the guy they all really loved.”
He felt the show was “quite tough” on the Royal Family but offered a humanising insight into their struggles.
Smith added: “I was always quite conscious of that. With any biopic, you’ve got to show the person at their ugliest, because otherwise, what’s the point really?
“If you strip away the royal family-ness of it, it’s two human beings.
“I challenge anyone if their partner said, ‘By the way, you’re going off for five months,’ to not go, ‘Whoa, hang on!’
“And I defy anyone to be married as long as they have and it be plain sailing the whole way. As human beings, they’ve struggled.”
