Harry's true involvement with The Crown amid Netflix deal is shared by CEO
Prince Harry's multi-million dollar deal with Netflix means he's signed to the same streaming platform as controversial royal drama The Crown.
The hit show is due to have its final series aired next month but it has proved divisive due to its historical accuracy being called into question. The new series is set to cover the years that included the tragic death of Princess Diana, Prince William meeting now-wife Kate and the wedding of King Charles and Queen Camilla. But despite Harry's association with Netflix, the CEO of the streaming platform Ted Sarandos has revealed the Duke of Sussex has no say in the show and said they never discuss it when they talk.
He told Variety: "We keep a wall around this topic when we talk for obvious reasons." It comes as the show's creator Peter Morgan also admitted that he has not read Harry's explosive memoir Spare, which includes his take on his royal relatives during the period covered in the final series.
He also told Variety: "I've not read a word of it. Not that I wouldn’t be interested. But I didn’t want his voice to inhabit my thinking too much. I’ve got a lot of sympathy with him, a lot of sympathy. But I didn’t want to read his book."
It's unknown which royals, if any, have sat down and watched The Crown, but several have spoken out about it. Last year, before he ascended to the throne, King Charles reportedly privately insisted the way he is portrayed on the show is "nowhere near" what he is really like in real life.
Bank of Dave self-made millionaire giving away money to 'keep kids working hard'According to the Daily Mail, leader of the Scottish Labour party, Anas Sarwar revealed Charles made a quip about the show when he attended a multi-faith event before the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 2021. Appearing at an event at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Mr Sarwar said: "There was a group of MSPs all standing and he came over and went, 'hello, nice to meet you all' and he went, 'I'm nowhere near how they portray me on Netflix'. I thought that was a really interesting way of how you describe yourself."
However, Prince Harry has confessed he has watched the show - and says it is more accurate than people think. During an interview with James Corden, he explained it is "loosely based on the truth."
He added: "They don't pretend to be news, it's fictional but it's loosely based on the truth. Of course, it's not strictly accurate, but loosely, it gives you a rough idea about what that lifestyle, what the pressures of putting duty and service above family and everything else, what can come from that. "I am way more comfortable with The Crown than I am seeing the stories written about my family, or my wife or myself."