Netflix’s The Crown, the beloved British royal drama, is set to release its final series on Thursday, launching the first four episodes. Season six of the critically acclaimed show aims to portray the events of the late 1990s, including Princess Diana’s relationship with Dodi Fayed. It will also show the events leading up to Diana’s death in 1997, and the aftermath.
Despite soaring popularity, The Crown has drawn criticism over potentially taking historical liberties. Royal historian, Kelly Swaby, spoke out against the show, stating that “As a historian it sometimes makes me want to cry […] Viewers often expect a certain degree of accuracy with the show because the production quality is so high, but we don’t always get that.” In response, Netflix defended the show and stated that it has always been presented as a drama based on historical events.
Peter Morgan, the creator of The Crown, has returned to write the latest season. In the previous season, Tony Blair became prime minister while Prince Charles traveled to Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the first episode of season six begins with Diana and Prince Charles spending their first summer apart as a divorced couple with their sons Prince William and Prince Harry.
The remaining six episodes of the final series will be released on December 14, focusing on events such as the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and the courtship of Prince William and Princess Kate. Imelda Staunton will reprise her role as Queen Elizabeth II, with Jonathan Pryce returning as the Duke of Edinburgh. However, throughout these events, the show will have taken “artistic license” on how sensitive details are depicted, as no one knows exactly what happened during private events, such as Prince Charles breaking the news of Diana’s death to his sons.
As such, the production of The Crown will have to “tread carefully” this season since most of the people featured in the show are still alive. As Prince Harry and Prince William are still impacted by their mother’s death, controversy surrounds The Crown’s portrayal of her death. The series is criticized for turning the tragic event into entertainment
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