Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II. The Crown season 5 will follow the royal family through the 1990s, likely culminating in the death of Princess Diana. The Crown has been criticized in the past for a failure to depict its characters appropriately and accurately, and the critiques are not stopping anytime soon.
The 1990s were an eventful time for the royal family, and The Crown will be tackling the tenures of prime ministers John Major and Tony Blair as well as the divorce between Prince Charles and Diana. The latest complaints about the show's fictionalization of real-life events and people come from Major himself over a reported scene in which he discussed ousting the Queen with Charles. In a statement, Major referred to the series as "dangerous and malicious fiction." It is no secret that The Crown isn't always accurate, as it is a drama series that takes creative license, particularly when it comes to private conversations like those between the prime minister and the royals. Still, it remains controversial that The Crown leans into more fictionalized aspects for dramatic purposes whilst also dealing with real-life people and their private lives.
The Crown Has Always Been Controversial
Though popular and critically acclaimed, The Crown has always been judged for its tendency to fabricate stories or retell historical events inaccurately to fit the series' narrative. In fact, the popularity of the series is part of the issue when it comes to controversy and The Crown. Those involved with the making of the show have maintained it's a drama based on historical events, but it can be difficult to distinguish the fact from the fiction. Viewers are likely to take what they see on screen as the truth, which could potentially impact their perception of the real-life people The Crown is portraying.
Viewers are somewhat divided on where to stand on the controversy, including those who are included as characters in the series. There are of the royal family who approve of The Crown and have itted to enjoying the series, whereas others, such as King Charles III have reportedly been unhappy with the way the series depicts them. Some take issue with the negative light The Crown puts certain royal family in, such as the now-deceased Prince Philip, whose supposed infidelity and cruelness were a staple of the earlier seasons. Other viewers are disapproving of the way The Crown seemingly romanticizes of the royal family despite their history of for the British Empire, colonialism, and oppression. Due to the nature of the series, it has always been, and will always be, controversial in one form or another.
Queen Elizabeth II's Death Adds More Pressure To The Crown
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, viewership of The Crown on Netflix surged. Viewers returned to the series to understand Queen Elizabeth, as the series provides a special insight into her life. However, her ing also means added pressure for season 5. Any inaccuracies in the Queen's story could be seen as an injustice to her legacy and memory, and the surge in viewership has proven that there will be plenty of eyes on the new season. The production of season 6 was temporarily paused following news of the Queen's ing as a sign of respect, but the reception of season 5 will without a doubt be influenced by her death.
The Queen's death was immediately followed by King Charles III taking the throne, which presents another set of challenges for The Crown, exacerbated by the fact that the new season will be exploring the time in his life when he was perhaps least popular with the public. The inclusion of the end of Charles and Diana's marriage in season 5 of The Crown serves as a reminder to viewers of his past mistakes. It has been almost 30 years since he publicly itted to his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, who is now the Queen Consort, but in some ways, his reputation has never recovered. Polls have reported that public backing for the monarchy is currently at an all-time low and there could be pressure for The Crown to not potentially contribute to that downward trend.
The Crown's Charles & Diana Controversies Explained
The relationship between Charles and Diana has been heavily publicized and speculated on in the media since it began in 1980, and the introduction of Diana in season 4 of The Crown was highly anticipated. However, the depiction of Charles' harsh treatment of Diana and the friendship-turned-affair that he had with Camilla while they were still married was seen as controversial. Charles and Diana's relationship was portrayed on screen as loveless and doomed from the start. Charles was clearly in love with Camilla, who was married to Andrew Parker Bowles at the time, but Diana was seen as the "right choice" for his family and the crown.
Charles was often shown as an uncaring, and sometimes even cruel husband to Diana. In season 4, episode 4 of The Crown, "Favourites," he scolds a heavily pregnant Diana for staying in her bedroom during a visit from the Queen. He fails to empathize with her and her mental health struggles, something Elizabeth takes notice of, leading her to advise Charles to be more kind and understanding to his wife. Prince William reportedly disapproved of this portrayal of his father and his parents' marriage and felt The Crown was exploiting their pain for financial gain. With The Crown season 5 dealing with Diana's death, the series is likely to draw similar criticisms.
Why Netflix Is Refusing To Add A Disclaimer To The Crown
In 2020, Member of Parliament Oliver Dowden asked for Netflix to put a warning or disclaimer on The Crown that would label the drama as fiction for viewers. Following season 4's release, he felt a disclaimer was necessary due to his "fear a generation of viewers who did not live through these events may mistake fiction for fact." Charles Spencer, Princess Diana's brother, also thought a disclaimer would be helpful for viewers. Netflix responded by saying they felt there was no need for such a disclaimer, stating that they have always presented The Crown as a drama based on historical events and "have every confidence our " understand that. A disclaimer could potentially help ease the controversy surrounding The Crown, but Netflix has no plans to add one for season 5.