Series 5 of The Crown, which is due to debut on Netflix on Nov. 9, will be a ‘muckraking’ exercise which will derail Charles’ attempts to establish himself as a sympathetic figure as he begins his reign, it has been claimed.
British newspaper The Sun quotes a “TV insider” as saying: “This couldn’t have come at a more delicate time for the new king and his queen consort, particularly as they’re riding high in the minds of the public.
“There’s a sense that Netflix are muckraking over events that took place 30 to 40 years ago, but are still raw for those involved.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The worst element for the royals is that millions of people around the world will view this series and view it less as a drama and more as a documentary.”
The Sun highlights several key scenes it says will feature in the new series, which covers the years 1990 to 1997 and sees Elizabeth Debicki taking over from Emma Corrin as Diana and Dominic West playing Charles.
Key episodes will feature Diana recording tapes for the journalist Andrew Morton, to be used in his book Diana: Her True Story, and Diana’s interview with Martin Bashir.
Harry and William have both condemned the interview, and successfully lobbied the BBC to never show it again after it was revealed Bashir hugely deceived Diana in the run-up to the interview.
The Sun lists six key scenes that it says will make “uncomfortable viewing” for Charles, including Diana suffering an attack of bulimia on the eve of her wedding day and Charles continuing his affair with Camilla after his marriage to Diana.
In another scene, The Sun says, Queen Elizabeth is seen telling Charles: “While it is expected of the monarch to be married and produce an heir, being happily married is a preference rather than a requirement.”
One report that is likely to put the younger royals on their guard is a scene in which William and Harry are seen being emotionally manipulated by Charles on a family holiday. In another scene, Diana is seen crying while William comforts her, the report adds.
Prince Harry has signed a multi-million dollar production deal with Netflix and has refused to criticize The Crown, saying in an interview with James Corden that it was clearly fiction.
Buckingham Palace has always refused to comment on the show, with sources routinely dismissing it as a fictional show.
