Netflix’s hit TV series, The Crown, has received a huge backlash from royal fans and friends close to the family. Royal author and correspondent, Omid Scobie, said the show was shaping the narrative of the British Monarchy across the globe.
Speaking to the podcast The Heirpod, he said: “I always wondered why there wasn’t more collaboration between the two.
“Those working on the show did reach out the palace to see if there was an opportunity for fact-checking, but the answer was a firm no.
“But, now we’ve reached these key years, I wonder if any royals are kicking themselves for not taking advantage of that opportunity, because this narrative is being shaped for many around the world.
“They expect 25 million households to view this new season within its first four weeks.
Royals ‘kicking themselves’ for not consulting Netflix as The Crown reaches Princess Diana years (Image: getty)
Royal Family members are possibly “kicking themselves” for not coordinating with Netflix (Image: getty)
“That’s 25 million people who will have their opinion of the Royal Family shaped by this.”
Maggie Rulli, ABC News foreign correspondent, added: “I wonder, going forward, if they start moving into the modern era of the royals, if they will decide to become more involved.
“But, I don’t know, it does seem to go against everything the Royal Family stands for, especially the Queen.
“I can’t imagine them actually working with Netflix like this.”
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Close friends of Prince Charles’ personal secretary blasted The Crown’s portrayal (Image: getty)
It comes after close friends of Prince Charles’ personal secretary blasted The Crown’s portrayal of the courtier as a man who was unkind to Princess Diana.
Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, also criticised The Crown for “lots of invention”.
Speaking to ITV’s Alan Titchmarsh, Earl Spencer said: “The worry for me is that people see a programme like that and they forget that it is fiction.
“They assume, especially foreigners, I find Americans tell me they have watched The Crown as if they have taken a history lesson. Well, they haven’t.”
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If The Crown continues after season six, it would possibly cover William and Harry’s adulthood (Image: getty)
When Mr Titchmarsh asked how truthful the show is, Earl Spencer replied: “It is very hard, there is a lot of conjecture and a lot of invention, isn’t there?
“You can hang it on fact but the bits in between are not fact.”
Speaking about his sister, he added: “I feel it is my duty to stand up for her when I can.
“She left me for instance as guardian of her sons, so I feel there was a trust passed on.
“And we grew up together, you know if you grow up with somebody they are still that person, it doesn’t matter what happens to them later.
Prince Charles and Diana timeline (Image: Express.co.uk)
“So yeah, I feel very passionately that I have a role to honour her memory.”
Mr Scobie and Ms Rulli also discussion whether The Crown will extend the series past its planned sixth season.
If the show did continue after season six, it would possibly cover Prince William and Prince Harry’s adulthood.
Mr Scobie said: “Despite reports it would stop before William and Harry become adults, I have heard rumblings that there is even talk inside Netflix about the possibility about whether the show could be extended.
“When you think about how much controversy this current season has created, this is going to have a presence in the Royal Family’s life for quite some time.”
