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    Princess Diana once reportedly silenced the royal family with a heated question at Christmas

    Jenny Proudfoot's avatar
    By Jenny Proudfoot
    Published 6 November 2023 In News

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    Princess Diana attends a gala evening at the National Gallery in Washington
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
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    The world is awaiting The Crown season six, with the highly anticipated Netflix release scheduled to premiere in two instalments from this month.

    The first half of season six will follow the character of Princess Diana, with Elizabeth Debicki returning to the Netflix show to play the late Princess of Wales up until her tragic death.

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    The upcoming release has resurfaced reports and anecdotes around Princess Diana, from the controversial theory that she was pregnant at the time of her death to her multiple breaks with royal protocol and kind interactions with members of the public.

    It was one particular anecdote that resurfaced this week, involving Princess Diana stunning the royal family into silence one Christmas, with experts debating whether it will feature in The Crown.

    "She is believed to have raised the question as to whether the royals would remain pertinent in a federal Europe, leaving the likes of the Queen and husband Prince Charles shocked,” The Mirror reported.

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    This is something that royal expert Andrew Morton wrote about in Diana: Her True Story, reporting what he had heard about the tense meal and how the royal family allegedly brushed off her comments.

    “The Queen, Prince Charles, and the rest of the royal family looked at her as if she were mad," Morton wrote in the 1992 book. "And continued with their debate on who shot the last pheasant of the day, a discussion which occupied the rest of the evening.”

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    It is not known whether this anecdote will be featured in The Crown's sixth season.

    Dominic West as Prince Charles and Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana

    (Image credit: Netflix)

    "It was very challenging," Elizabeth Debicki has said of playing the role of Princess Diana in The Crown, via Deadline. "It’s definitely the most complicated acting task that’s ever been put to me. All the layers of it are quite extreme in a sense." 

    She continued: "Here’s an excellent show that’s been running for five seasons and it has this amazing built-in audience. Before you have come all these extraordinary actors and you’re going to play the most famous and beloved woman that’s ever lived, and off you go. And you think, ‘Oh my God, how on earth do I manage this?’ I think the level of that challenge and the length of shooting, it was over just two years of making it, is a combination that definitely teaches you as an actor how to let go of a lot."

    The Crown season six is scheduled to air on 16 November.

    We will continue to update this story.

    Jenny Proudfoot
    Jenny Proudfoot
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    Contributing Features Editor

    Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

    In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.

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