The creator of The Crown stated that critics, such as Dame Judi Dench and Sir John Major, may feel foolish after viewing the show.
Prior to the release of season six of the popular Netflix show centered around the British monarchy, writer and playwright Peter Morgan admitted that he had never experienced such a level of public controversy in his work.
Morgan stated to Variety that criticism towards The Crown’s portrayal of the royals arises prior to the show’s release. However, once the show is available for viewing and individuals see it, such criticism dissipates, causing those who made the remarks to feel foolish.
Before the penultimate season of the show was released last year, Dench criticized it for being “crude sensationalism” and Major called some scenes “malicious nonsense”. In response, Netflix added a disclaimer to the show’s trailer stating that it was a fictional dramatization.
According to Morgan, discussing The Crown in the UK can be challenging. People in Britain, whether they admit it or not, have a strong emotional connection to the royal family. This makes it a difficult subject for writers to tackle. However, as writers, we are drawn to stories about monarchs.
The last two parts of the series, which is the sixth installment, will be released on November 16 and December 14. These episodes will focus on the tragic deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed in a car accident in Paris in 1997, as well as the 2002 golden jubilee and the 2005 wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.
![Peter Morgan with his Emmy award for outstanding writing for a drama series for The Crown in 2021.](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/1b77280255fa770dabb3fa8d1e9db625f636cabc/0_137_3500_2101/master/3500.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none)
Morgan, a two-time Oscar nominee for screenwriting (for The Queen and Frost/Nixon) and a recipient of numerous Emmys, Golden Globes, and Baftas, expressed confidence in his decision to end the show nearly twenty years before the current time as “dignified.”
He mentioned having a concept for a prequel that would be set before Elizabeth II, but it would require specific circumstances to align.
According to the author, he was close to completing the final season when Queen Elizabeth II passed away in September. As a result, he altered the ending to pay tribute to her passing.
“We had all gone through the funeral together. Therefore, considering the profound impact it had on everyone, I had to find a way to address the character’s death in the final episode, even though they were still alive.”
Morgan stated that he purposely did not read Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, as he did not want the prince’s perspective to heavily influence his thoughts.
He expressed a great deal of empathy towards him, a great deal. However, he had no interest in reading his book.
He also acknowledged the media attention surrounding the appearance of Diana’s ghost in the upcoming season, clarifying that it was never meant to be portrayed as supernatural.
“She remained a strong presence in the memories of those she left behind. Diana was one-of-a-kind, and that motivated me to find an original way to portray her. She deserved a special narrative treatment,” he stated.
Morgan stated that he did not have any feelings of guilt regarding the incident known as “Tampongate” in the fifth series. This event involved a private conversation between Charles and Camilla, and Morgan believes it highlights the invasion of privacy rather than exploitation.
Source: theguardian.com