Prince does not watch hit drama, friends say, as it ‘drags his name through the mud’
THE Prince of Wales has refused to watch The Crown, royal sources disclosed yesterday, as friends said it was “terrible” that his name was being “dragged through the mud”.
The new series of the Netflix drama, released yesterday, includes the arrival of the young Diana Spencer, and rakes over her fledgling relationship with the Prince, whom it makes clear is still in love with Camilla Parker Bowles.
As their marriage becomes increasingly toxic, the Prince is portrayed in a harsh light, withholding the love and affection Diana desperately needed, jealous of her popularity, and ultimately treating her with contempt.
Friends of the Prince yesterday accused Netflix of “trolling on a Hollywood budget”, exploiting the Royal family’s pain for financial gain and presenting “fiction as fact”.
One told the Mail on Sunday: “This is drama and entertainment for commercial ends being made with no regard to the actual people involved who are having their lives hijacked and exploited. It’s dragging up things that happened during very difficult times 25 or 30 years ago without a thought for anyone’s feelings. That isn’t right or fair, particularly when so many of the things depicted don’t represent the truth.”
Courtiers are also said to be furious t hat t he Prince’s name is being besmirched, taking attention away from his work. One told The Telegraph: “Many are frustrated and angry that his name is being dragged through the mud. They think it’s terrible.”
A source said yesterday that the Prince did not watch The Crown, and was unlikely to even be aware that a new series had been released. “He has absolutely no view of The Crown,” they said. “He would rather distance himself from the whole thing.” A Palace insider was quoted as saying: “There is no sense of telling carefully nuanced stories. It’s all very two-dimensional.”
The Duke of Cambridge is also understood to be “none too pleased” with the portrayal of his late mother, which includes her suffering with bulimia, and believes both his parents are being exploited for financial gain.
The wisdom of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – who have signed a multimillion dollar deal with Netflix – has also been called into question, with friends pointing out that The Crown is one of the streaming giant’s most profitable shows.
A spokesman for the Prince declined to comment.