Netflix vs. Royal Family: Media Giant Drops Huge Headache for Queen Elizabeth II
Netflix just does not want to bow down and spare the royal family from further damage.
Amid all the criticisms "The Crown" has been getting, Netflix stood firm and refused to grant the wishes of adding a disclaimer to the series. To recall, there has been a clamor for the series to be tagged as a work of fiction so as not to mislead its viewers that it's factual when it's not.
In a report published by The Hollywood Reporter, a Netflix spokesperson presented why they will never add a disclaimer on each episode of the hit royal series.
Per the streaming giant's representative, they have always aired "The Crown" as a drama. Thus, they believe that their audiences views it as nothing but a work of fiction.
Although it is based on the historical events that happened in the lives of the royal family members, Netflix claimed that everyone knew "The Crown" is only a drama.
"As a result we have no plans - and see no need - to add a disclaimer," the spokesperson went on, saying that they have no reason to respond to the appeal.
Their statement came a week after the U.K. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden demanded the streaming company to add a disclaimer on each episode.
What UK Culture Secretary Requested
In his interview with The Mail on Sunday, Dowden accused the creators of "The Crown" of fabricating the royal family story.
"It's a beautifully produced work of fiction, so as with other TV productions, Netflix should be very clear at the beginning it is just that," he said. "Without this, I fear a generation of viewers who did not live through these events may mistake fiction for fact."
He also said that unlike before, there are "fabricated" scenes that damage the royal family and its reputation to a greater extent.
During the talk, he pledged to write a formal letter to the streaming giant to appeal their concerns as soon as possible. Dowden said that it would include his demand to put a "health warning" at the beginning of each "The Crown" episode and possible future installments.
Although it was never publicized if he already sent the mail, Netflix's recent response suggest they already saw the petition.
Initially, the show wholly focused on the British royal family's early life.
However, its latest season became a buzz-maker after depicting Prince Charles and Princess Diana's story differently.
One of Prince Charles' friends said, "This is drama and entertainment for commercial ends being made with no regard to the actual people involved who are having their lives hijacked and exploited."
Meanwhile, other cast members of the series also voiced their opinions about the claims.
Cast Members Feel the Same Way?
Before Netflix officially declined to add a disclaimer on "The Crown," Helena Bonham Carter offered a statement about the current issue.
According to Carter, who played the role of Princess Margaret in Seasons 3 and 4, Netflix and its producers have a "moral responsibility" in telling the viewers that the show is "dramatized."
Emma Corrin, the actress who plays Princess Diana, also spoke about how the controversial fourth season had been massively fictionalized.
"Obviously it has its roots in reality and in some fact but Peter Morgan's scripts are works of fiction," she went on.
