Royal Family news reveals that former prime minister Tony Blair isn’t happy with The Crown’s portrayal of a time period the Queen once called her “annus horribilis” (horrible year.) Read on and we’ll give you the low down.
Royal Family News: Is the Crown Releasing Season 5 too Soon?
Royal Family news reveals that, according to Big Issue, the 1990s were not great years for the monarchy and a spokesperson for former British prime minister Tony Blair, season 5 of The Crown is “complete and utter rubbish.
Blair’s predecessor, Sir John Major took it even further calling the season “profoundly hurtful” to the Royal Family and specifically the Queen’s memory. It may be needless to say but, the 1990s were not good years for the Royal Family.
The Crown is now showing King Charles III’s behind-the-scenes scheming to oust his mother Queen Elizabeth II from her throne, the dissolution of numerous royal marriages, and other events that led to the Queen’s famous “annus horribilis” speech on Christmas Day in 1992. It is believed by many that Netflix’s releasing the season so soon following the monarch’s death was, at the very least, in bad taste.
Could The Crown, Season 5 be Hurtful to the Monarchy?
Deadline reports that a scene in which Charles is depicted seeking Major’s counsel and support taking his mother’s place on the throne via her forced abdication was fabricated as well. Royal watchers may recall that it was Sir John Major who was charged with announcing the Prince and Princess of Wales’ separation in 1992 so one can imagine he has a special interest in ensuring the show sticks to the facts.
This weekend Major took his castigation of the series even further, telling the Telegraph, “It will be profoundly hurtful to a family who is still grieving for the very person on whose life the entire drama was founded.”
Is Netflix Demeaning Entertainment?
Major said that Netflix may think that any publicity is good publicity but, he assured them “it is not – most especially when it disrespects the memory of those no longer alive or puts words into the mouths of those still living and in no position to defend themselves.”
He said that fiction shouldn’t be “paraded as fact” adding, “I gather Netflix continues to refuse to put out a disclaimer at the top of the opening credits, on the basis that ‘everyone knows this is a drama series. But this is simply not good enough. If everyone knows, why not acknowledge that?
“Without such action, many millions – around the world – could still be influenced by a damaging and fictional script, which claims ‘authority’ by being interspersed with historical fact.
“Entertainment is a great and glorious industry that brings enormous pleasure to many millions. Netflix should not demean it with portrayals which are both injurious and untrue.”