The Crown has given many fans of the royal family an entirely new perspective on both the age-old institution and the people who’ve been at the centre of it in the 20th and 21st century.
But in the midst of its chaotic storylines, spanning from The Queen’s turbulent marriage Prince Philip to the real intricacies and unforgiving realities of life as a royal family member, it pays to note that there are real people behind the dramatised characters—and they are still living out the very moments that gave the show its popularity in the first place.
Prince William is only one example. In a recent report from The Telegraph, a source claimed he was “frustrated” at a rumoured upcoming storyline about his mother, Princess Diana’s interview with the BBC’s Martin Bashir.
In a rare, emotional statement released in May this year, Prince William voiced his upset at the origins of the interview, explaining the depths of its impacts: “The interview was a major contribution to making my parents’ relationship worse and has since hurt countless others,” he said.
The statement was released as new details came to light about how the interview was obtained in the first place—an inquiry found Bashir had gained the Princess’ trust in a deceitful way.
“It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC’s failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her,” William continued in his statement.
“But what saddens me most, is that if the BBC had properly investigated the complaints and concerns first raised in 1995, my mother would have known that she had been deceived. She was failed not just by a rogue reporter, but by leaders at the BBC who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions.”
William’s statement was widely reported at the time, with many finally realising the full impacts of both the interview’s detriment to the family, and on Diana herself. She tragically died two years later.
With this in mind, it’s understandable as to why Prince William is frustrated at the commercialisation of such a moment in the Netflix production, especially when it’s clearly still so raw.
The fourth season of The Crown, was released in late 2020 and also delved into Diana’s earlier struggles in the royal family. From manoeuvring her relationship with Prince Charles while Camilla was in the picture, to her eating disorder and attempting to raise her sons as normally as possible.
The fifth season is set for release in 2022.
