Royal commentator Russell Myers and TalkRadio host Kevin O’Sullivan agreed Netflix is enjoying the publicity due to the controversy on their Royal Family drama The Crown. While on Talkradio, Mr O’Sullivan dubbed Netflix cowards as he argued the streaming giant is aware the Royal Family is unlikely to hit back with legal action. He said the royals were bound by protocol to not engage with significant criticism or mockery.
He noted they were often expected to “shut up and get on with it” unlike other families who might sue over unfair depictions.
Mr O’Sullivan said: “It is not a documentary and yet people are taking it seriously.
“People are saying, ‘does the writer Peter Morgan know that he has got these conversations right?’
“Well, of course, he doesn’t, he wasn’t there when they were happening.
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“But it does seem that we have to point out that this is a fiction.”
The radio host revealed what he found most frustrating about Netflix’s misleading drama.
He said “I think it is quite cowardly, this production, because you could only do this to a living family like the Royal Family.
“If they were in the normal walk of life, any family would sue the backside off Netflix for The Crown.
“But of course the Royal Family can’t or won’t because of the tradition of put up and shut up and never complain.”
Mr Myers agreed that it was extraordinary the writers and Netflix were able to get away with their depictions of living Royal Family members.
He said: “It is extraordinary that Peter Morgan and the writers of The Crown have been able to get away with this.
“Maybe there is some sort of happy medium here and maybe it should come with this health warning.
“Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden is going to write to Netflix and I imagine his letter will get quite a short shift,
“I imagine Netflix couldn’t care less and they are absolutely lapping it up.
“There are 30 odd million people who have already watched it, apparently 80 million people are going to watch it before Christmas and there are another two series in the offers.”
