London | Over the past seven years, The Crown has been criticised by numerous prominent Britons on behalf of their royal family.

After former prime minister John Major described the show as a “barrel-load of nonsense” and actress Judi Dench – who is friends with Queen Camilla – accused it of “crude sensationalism” in 2022, Netflix labelled the show a “fictional dramatisation”. But these complaints misunderstood the sprawling drama’s appeal for many British fans and, for the real royal family, its usefulness.