New season of ‘The Crown’ set to air after backlash

The latest season of ‘The Crown’ hits the small screen next week, with streaming giant Netflix adding a
disclaimer after a furor over untrue storylines. Series Five, which airs on Wednesday just over two months after the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of her son King Charles III, sees the action move to the 1990s. Princess Diana’s bombshell television interview, emotional turmoil and divorce from Charles are all documented, along with his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles and tensions with his mother. It was not clear, however, how the series deals with the death of Diana in a car crash in Paris in 1997 or if a
disclaimer would be added before each episode. Following outrage from prominent figures including Oscar-winning actor Judi Dench and Britain’s former prime minister John Major last month, Netflix added a description of the show as ‘inspired by real events’ to its programme page. Dench blasted Netflix for ‘crude sensationalism’
after reports of scenes showing Charles manoeuvring to force his mother’s abdication. The strength of the criticism has forced Netflix to defend both itself and screenwriter Peter Morgan. It said the series was
not meant to be taken as fact but as an imagining of ‘what could have happened behind closed doors.’ Its stars too have rallied to its defence, with Diana actress Elizabeth Debicki calling for people to move on ‘now the
disclaimer is up there.’ -AFP