Here's what the royal family really think about The Crown
The world is awaiting The Crown season six, with the highly anticipated Netflix instalment set to be the most dramatic yet.
The sixth and final season is scheduled to premiere in two instalments, with the first released on 16 November, and the remaining episodes on 14 December.
And while the show boasts a band of loyal followers counting down the days, there are a few people who may find it an uncomfortable watch - the royal family themselves.
Several royal family members are known to have tuned in over the years, and while some are thought to have approved of their portrayal, others are said to have felt quite the opposite.
“I heard the Queen had watched it, and she used to watch it on a projector on Sunday night, apparently,” Matt Smith, The Crown's Prince Philip for the first two seasons explained in an interview with TODAY.
This is reportedly down to Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, who according to a royal source via the Sunday Express, are big fans of the Netflix show, and used to watch it with the Queen.
"Edward and Sophie love The Crown," a senior royal source has explained. "It has been a longstanding arrangement that they drive to Windsor at the weekend to join the Queen for an informal supper while watching TV or a film. They have a Netflix account and urged her to watch it with them."
The source continued: "Happily, she really liked it, although obviously there were some depictions of events that she found too heavily dramatised."
Prince Philip however is said to have felt quite differently, with Smith telling The Observer in a past interview that the Duke of Edinburgh was not a fan of the Netflix show.
According to the actor, a close of friend of his in the film industry was at a dinner with the royals when Prince Philip asked him, "What do you do? Are you involved in this Crown thing?"
At the end of the meal the friend in question supposedly asked, "Philip, I’m just wondering, because I have some friends who made The Crown, have you watched any?" To which the Duke of Edinburgh is rumoured to have stopped, glowered and replied, "Don’t be ridiculous."
Unsurprisingly, King Charles allegedly wasn't too thrilled with his portrayal in The Crown, with his team reportedly concerned for his popularity after the show's depiction of the Princess Diana storyline.
Another royal who was reportedly angered by the Princess Diana storyline is Prince William, with a royal source telling the Daily Mail that he "feels that both his parents are being exploited and being presented in a false, simplistic way to make money".
"[Prince William] asked what I was doing at the moment before he quickly added, ‘Actually, I know what you’re doing,’" recalled Olivia Colman, who played the Queen in the third and fourth season, on The Graham Norton Show. "I was so excited and asked, ‘Have you watched it?' His answer was a firm no, but he was very charming and very lovely."
Prince Harry however has confirmed that he and Meghan Markle have watched the show, telling The Late Late Show host James Corden that he feels more comfortable with The Crown than tabloid news stories.
“They don’t pretend to be news. It’s fictional, but it’s loosely based on the truth,” Prince Harry reasoned. “But it gives you a rough idea about what that lifestyle - the pressures of putting duty and service above family and everything else - what can come from that.”
Princess Eugenie is also said to be a fan of the Netflix show, telling Town & Country, “I did watch a couple of episodes of The Crown.
"It is filmed beautifully," she said of the show. "The music is wonderful, the story is beautiful... I can’t speak for everyone but that’s how I felt when I watched it."
"The cinematography was excellent," agreed Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. "I thought it was filmed beautifully. I loved the way they put my wedding in as well."
The first instalment of The Crown season six is set to air on 16 November, but as for who will be tuning in, we'll have to wait and see.
We will continue to update this story.
