The Crown: Why the royal family have played it wrong
The royal family’s public image has taken a battering of late – but they could’ve avoided much of the backlash with one simple move.
The Royal Family may be regretting not working closely with Netflix to make The Crown as authentic as possible.
A leading royal expert believed the monarchs must be “kicking themselves” for not fact-checking one of the most popular dramas on streaming giant, Netflix.
Royal commentator Omid Scobie, who co-wrote Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Family with Carolyn Durand, said The Crown was shaping the narrative of the royal family around the world.
“I always wondered why there wasn’t more collaboration between the two,” he told The Heirpod.
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“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. That’s 25 million people who will have their opinion of the royal family shaped by this.”
ABC foreign correspondent Maggie Rulli 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.”
The reporters also chatted about speculation The Crown’s creators will extend the drama past its sixth season.
That would mean covering the adult lives of Princes William and Harry.
“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,” Scobie said.
“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.”
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It comes as Diana’s brother Earl Spencer took a swipe at The Crown for “lots of invention” and said he is “passionate” about defending his sister Princess Diana’s memory.
Speaking about the drama and how his sister has been portrayed on British TV show Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh, the Earl says: “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.”
In The Crown, Diana’s courtship, marriage and subsequent relationship struggles with husband Prince Charles play out, as well as her battle with bulimia.
Discussing the show further, her brother tells Alan: “Actually, The Crown asked if they could film at Althorp and I said obviously not.
“The worry for me is that people see a programme like that and they forget that it is fiction.”
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Earl Spencer has always been a staunch defender of Diana’s legacy following her tragic death in 1997, and it’s no different when it comes to The Crown.
He says: “I feel it is my duty to stand up for her when I can. She left me for instance as guardian of her sons etc, 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.
“So yeah, I feel very passionately that I have a role to honour her memory.”
This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission
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