The U.K. government wants The Crown to let fans know that its depiction of the British royal family is fictionalized, but they’ve said no.
The Crown on Netflix is all about the lives of the British royal family. The most recent season covers a tumultuous time for the royals, including the arrival of Princess Diana on the scene. The show depicts Diana as struggling with bulimia and her husband Prince Charles’ “secret” relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles.
It’s pretty sensitive stuff, and it hasn’t gone over with the U.K. government. Earlier this month, culture secretary Oliver Dowden wrote Netflix a letter asking the streaming service to place a disclaimer ahead of the episodes letting viewers know that what they’re about to see is fictional.
Netflix rejected Dowden’s request, arguing that viewers have the ability to tell the difference between what has been dramatized and what actually happened. There’s also the fact that a lot of what season 4 depicts actually did happen. In the Netflix documentary Diana: In Her Own Words, the real Princess Diana talks about her difficult journey with the Royal Family. The audio was recorded by journalist Andrew Morton and has been quite a popular watch on Netflix, especially after the release of The Crown season 4.
It appears most people are on Netflix’s side on this one, including Emma Corrin, who plays the late Princess. She shared her thoughts on the situation with Variety:
"It is very clearly a dramatized version of events. This is fictitious in the same way people don’t mistake Succession for what actually happened with the Murdochs. I also understand [the request] comes from a place of sensitivity and protectiveness of the royal family and Diana."
She has a point there. As a huge fan of The Crown, if there’s ever anything that seems a bit out there or nonsensical, I simply Google it. It doesn’t take a disclaimer to make fans understand that things are dramatized.
So, sorry U.K. government, you guys are on your own for this one.
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime, and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels
h/t The A.V. Club