Netflix defends ‘The Crown’ after ex-PM lambasts ‘malicious nonsense’

By AFP

LONDON: Netflix on Monday defended its newest collection of “The Crown” after former British prime minister John Major lashed out at a storyline exhibiting King Charles plotting to oust the late queen.

Major’s tenure as prime minister from 1990-1997 lined a turbulent interval for the royals that included the divorce of Charles and his spouse Princess Diana.

But reported scenes within the fifth collection — defended by streaming big Netflix as a “fictionalised dramatisation” — have incensed the previous premier.

In one scene, inheritor to the throne Charles makes an attempt to attract Major right into a conspiracy to power the abdication of his mom Queen Elizabeth II.

An announcement issued by Major’s workplace castigated Netflix for the scenes describing them as “damaging and malicious fiction”.

“There was never any discussion between Sir John and the then Prince of Wales about any possible abdication of the late Queen Elizabeth II — nor was such an improbable and improper subject ever raised by the then Prince of Wales (or Sir John),” it added.

“The Crown” has been wildly profitable however has additionally confronted criticism over its fictional story strains.

In one episode from collection two, the queen’s late husband Prince Philip is blamed by his personal father for the loss of life of one in all his sisters in an air crash.

His father tells him that his sister had solely been making the journey to the UK that resulted in her loss of life as a result of Philip’s dangerous behaviour meant he was banned from visiting her in Germany.

“You are the reason we are all here, burying my favourite child,” his father Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark tells him at her funeral.

‘Terribly dishonest’

Writer William Shawcross, who wrote a biography of the late queen’s mom, on Monday referred to as “The Crown” “an odious series, filled with lies and half-truths”.

In a letter revealed in The Daily Telegraph newspaper, he accused Netflix and author Peter Morgan of a marketing campaign to destroy the monarchy “by lies”.

Shawcross instructed AFP the royal household had been distinctive in that not like different outstanding households they weren’t ready to sue.

He mentioned it made them “sitting ducks for someone like Morgan who detests them and has a political agenda”.

He mentioned the story line about Philip’s sister was completely factually incorrect and that “Philip was incredibly upset by it”.

“The two people who have been most abused in the series are Prince Philip and… King Charles,” he mentioned, including that Morgan steered away from concentrating on the queen for such therapy due to her recognition.

“It (‘The Crown’) is very clever. It is full of lies but they are disguised in lace and velvet. There is no real disclaimer it is terribly dishonest…. disgraceful,” he mentioned.

Health warning wanted?

“The Crown” rejected the criticism, insisting that the collection “has always been presented as a drama based on historical events”.

“Series five is a fictional dramatisation, imagining what could have happened behind closed doors during a significant decade for the royal family –- one that has already been scrutinised and well-documented by journalists, biographers and historians,” a spokeswoman instructed the PA information company on Monday.

Netflix suspended filming of the drama final month “as a mark of respect” following the loss of life of Elizabeth on the age of 96.

The monarch famously vowed on her twenty first birthday to serve her nation “my whole life”, which means that her son Charles solely acceded to the thone on the age of 73.

The fourth season, which depicted the ill-fated marriage of Charles and Diana, final 12 months swept the Emmys, profitable greatest excellent drama collection in addition to a number of appearing awards for its stars together with Gillian Anderson, Olivia Colman and Josh O’Connor.

But the collection additionally prompted Britain’s then Culture Minister Oliver Dowden to say in 2020 he deliberate to write down to Netflix and request {that a} “health warning” be displayed earlier than “The Crown” so viewers had been conscious it was a piece of fiction.

The new collection, which is able to launch on November 9, options recast roles with Dominic West starring as Charles, whereas Elizabeth Debicki performs Diana and Imelda Staunton the queen.

LONDON: Netflix on Monday defended its newest collection of “The Crown” after former British prime minister John Major lashed out at a storyline exhibiting King Charles plotting to oust the late queen.

Major’s tenure as prime minister from 1990-1997 lined a turbulent interval for the royals that included the divorce of Charles and his spouse Princess Diana.

But reported scenes within the fifth collection — defended by streaming big Netflix as a “fictionalised dramatisation” — have incensed the previous premier.

In one scene, inheritor to the throne Charles makes an attempt to attract Major right into a conspiracy to power the abdication of his mom Queen Elizabeth II.

An announcement issued by Major’s workplace castigated Netflix for the scenes describing them as “damaging and malicious fiction”.

“There was never any discussion between Sir John and the then Prince of Wales about any possible abdication of the late Queen Elizabeth II — nor was such an improbable and improper subject ever raised by the then Prince of Wales (or Sir John),” it added.

“The Crown” has been wildly profitable however has additionally confronted criticism over its fictional story strains.

In one episode from collection two, the queen’s late husband Prince Philip is blamed by his personal father for the loss of life of one in all his sisters in an air crash.

His father tells him that his sister had solely been making the journey to the UK that resulted in her loss of life as a result of Philip’s dangerous behaviour meant he was banned from visiting her in Germany.

“You are the reason we are all here, burying my favourite child,” his father Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark tells him at her funeral.

‘Terribly dishonest’

Writer William Shawcross, who wrote a biography of the late queen’s mom, on Monday referred to as “The Crown” “an odious series, filled with lies and half-truths”.

In a letter revealed in The Daily Telegraph newspaper, he accused Netflix and author Peter Morgan of a marketing campaign to destroy the monarchy “by lies”.

Shawcross instructed AFP the royal household had been distinctive in that not like different outstanding households they weren’t ready to sue.

He mentioned it made them “sitting ducks for someone like Morgan who detests them and has a political agenda”.

He mentioned the story line about Philip’s sister was completely factually incorrect and that “Philip was incredibly upset by it”.

“The two people who have been most abused in the series are Prince Philip and… King Charles,” he mentioned, including that Morgan steered away from concentrating on the queen for such therapy due to her recognition.

“It (‘The Crown’) is very clever. It is full of lies but they are disguised in lace and velvet. There is no real disclaimer it is terribly dishonest…. disgraceful,” he mentioned.

Health warning wanted?

“The Crown” rejected the criticism, insisting that the collection “has always been presented as a drama based on historical events”.

“Series five is a fictional dramatisation, imagining what could have happened behind closed doors during a significant decade for the royal family –- one that has already been scrutinised and well-documented by journalists, biographers and historians,” a spokeswoman instructed the PA information company on Monday.

Netflix suspended filming of the drama final month “as a mark of respect” following the loss of life of Elizabeth on the age of 96.

The monarch famously vowed on her twenty first birthday to serve her nation “my whole life”, which means that her son Charles solely acceded to the thone on the age of 73.

The fourth season, which depicted the ill-fated marriage of Charles and Diana, final 12 months swept the Emmys, profitable greatest excellent drama collection in addition to a number of appearing awards for its stars together with Gillian Anderson, Olivia Colman and Josh O’Connor.

But the collection additionally prompted Britain’s then Culture Minister Oliver Dowden to say in 2020 he deliberate to write down to Netflix and request {that a} “health warning” be displayed earlier than “The Crown” so viewers had been conscious it was a piece of fiction.

The new collection, which is able to launch on November 9, options recast roles with Dominic West starring as Charles, whereas Elizabeth Debicki performs Diana and Imelda Staunton the queen.