Katie Nicholl at Vanity Fair had a somewhat confused and tone-deaf story about The Crown and the Duchess of Cornwall several days ago. Nicholl claimed that Camilla was a fan of The Crown, and she planned to sit down with a big glass of wine and watch the fourth season, a season where she’s featured as the third person in Diana and Charles’ marriage. The rest of Nicholl’s coverage was just the talking points which – I believe – were issued by Clarence House, because Prince Charles is clearly freaking out about 15 years of careful media relations going down the drain via ten hours of Netflix binge-watching. But what of Prince William and Prince Harry?
Duchess Camilla might be willing to watch the latest series of the Crown, but Prince William and Prince Harry won’t be tuning in. While the princes are believed to have watched some of the previous seasons of the Netflix drama, sources say they will be giving the latest—and arguably most controversial series—a wide berth.
“Harry has seen the trailers for series four but I can’t see him watching it,” a source close to the Duke told Vanity Fair, while a friend of William’s said that he has “no desire” to watch a fictitious depiction of the breakdown of his parents’ marriage, as well as his baby years.
“The feeling is that the latest series would actually be quite sad for them to watch,” a well-placed source told Vanity Fair.
According to reports, the Queen, who has never watched the show but has followed the stories about it in the media, and Prince Philip are upset about the inaccuracies in the drama, in particular how family rows and relationships have been played out and presented as fact rather than a work of fiction.
Yeah, I’m not surprised? I guess it’s interesting that Nicholl got the tip on this considering that the British media seems more focused on how Harry is a terrible person for signing on to a deal with Netflix. It shows maturity on his part – he knows from the trailers that this season would be quite painful to watch, so he’ll just skip it. And that’s it. Same with William. No one is forcing anyone to watch this show, and you’re not a terrible person if certain shows (about your damn family) aren’t your jam.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red, Backgrid, Netflix.
LOLZ – I can in fact see Harry and Meghan talking about this. It would be odd if they didn’t. Whether they watch it is another thing and up to them, but I doubt Katie Nicholl would ever get that scoop.
I get it, it is hard to watch for me and I was an outsider looking in as a little girl who loved Diana and all that I believed she symbolized.
I also think that if any one watches, it will be Harry because Meghan will able to help him through it emotionally and psychologically because she is astute enough to empathize and provide that support. I do not see that with Kate.
Can this woman BE anymore irritating? Her ability to speculate with her whole chest is to be admired.
She’s a piece of f’ing work. Her sources are likely the voices in her head.
I would be surprised if they did.
So then how are we suppose to take William’s complains about it seriously?
I can empathize with them (yes, even PwBT). I can’t imagine watching a movie (fictionalized or “real”) about a mother that I adored, and seeing her treated horribly, seeing *all* of her pain laid out, and “watch her” go through it. I would think they’d feel just as powerless as they did as boys, walking behind that casket, reliving all the pain, and STILL not being “able” to do anything to “help”.
I’d give it a hard pass, too. They can’t completely stick their heads in the sand, as there is SO MUCH out there about it, but I’d not put it on myself.
Kate and Carole will watch it for sure. As for Harry, he may not watch it but there is no way Katie Nicholl actually knows. Omid would know but probably won’t bother to ask.
I think that Kate will definitely watch it then we’ll get articles saying that she also passed the balmoral test.
LOL you are absolutely right. We’ll know the instant she’s finished that episode because we’ll get stories about how well she did at Balmoral.
I can imagine Kate probably watching at her mothers house and certainly some of them may watch in secret. I think the Queen went to the royal premier of The Queen with Hellen Mirren so its not like they are compeletly above it.
That’s interesting. I always wondered what she thought of that film, considering it’s titled “The Queen” and completely about Diana (that is, completely about TQ coming to terms with how much Diana meant to the British people).
This is always the answer, right? to just not watch it? and I don’t blame either of them for not watching it. I loved this season, but I had such a feeling of dread, especially in the last two episodes, just knowing where this all ends. It was tough at the end, I cried at the last episode and I don’t think I’ve cried before in this series (and usually I cry at the drop of a hat.)
But as public figures, as historical figures (in that the Queen and Charles etc are part of history and will be talked about for decades/centuries to come), this is part of the deal. You get to live in a palace, and people are going to speculate on your private life and yes, make shows and movies about you. This isn’t the first tv show or movie about Diana and its not going to be the last.
I don’t think they’ll watch it either. That was obvious. Can I get a writing job at VF like Nicholls now?
I think some of the other royals/royal adjacent (aka 30 something in line to the throne) and the like are probably watching it
It makes sense that they wouldnt. Its too triggering and its the one thing that has impacted their lives all through. Sometimes you think youve healed and then something reminds you all over again and its just ugh. I was watching Diana In Her Own Words on Netflix and theres a scene after the divorce or was it the release of the book by Morton where shes in an engagement and fighting back tears and i just started crying because it was all too much for one person to bear. If it was my mother, it would make me so angry, id cut off my entire family for life! Damn im crying even as i write this. It was too much, what they did to her. Too damn much. The kids need to protect their own sanity. Maybe in their old age, when its a dulled out wound, when they had grandkids and great grandkids, when life has been lived, they can do their own research and make peace with the past.
They were there and know how it all went down. I wouldn’t want to watch it either. Also, the scene at the end left me balling and haunts me and I didn’t even know her. My heart does break for both of them for their huge loss and how they had to share their mother with so many. The interesting thing though is that both boys are in some was repeating history. William seems to be following Charles’ lead and Harry, well Harry is living the life his mum was hoping to have. One is thriving.
I don’t think they were? William and Harry were either extremely young or not born yet in many of the episodes of the series. I can see there being some curiosity about this, especially since the version of the events they were told about likely came from their father, the queen, and the courtiers. This might be an opportunity to see events with adult eyes from Diana’s POV. If it were me, I would ask my partner to watch and then give me a summary of each episode to help me decide if I wanted to see them for myself.
Eugenie was quoted as saying the Queen had watched at least the first season. Whereas when Philip was directly asked he had a typically blunt response lol.
It must be odd for your family situations to be dramatised.
I wouldn’t watch it either if I were them, especially if I were Harry. It’d be hard to not cuss any of them out the next time I saw them.
I’m sure Harry doesn’t have the time to watch it, he and Meghan are busy preparing for baby no 2 lool
I’ve gotten up to episode 6 so far and will probably catch up this weekend, but honestly, don’t need this series to see how messed up these people are. The real events are so well documented and worse than depicted. The scenes with Diana, how miserable she is, esp. her eating disorder, are hard to watch. The characters are broadly painted but it is what it is, a dramatization. I really think all the fuss and handwringing over this show in the UK seems really manufactured and just overwrought, a bit wag the dog. Part of it is because showing their bad ways gets in the way of their current bullying and smearing the Sussexes in peace, because the comparisons between then and now are valid, although different scenarios. It’s a good solid show but there’s other things to watch for those not into it, I understand why Harry and William have no interest in it, and not more to say .
Oh Harry and Meghan are watching and high-diving each other in the public airing of what they knew all along–Meghan would have ended up as this generation’s sacrificial lamb if they had not moved 9,000 miles away and cut ties with that toxic family. Diana would be so proud of Harry and I’m sure is cheering them from the hereafter. And the Queen and the BRF can suck eggs. Season 4 is absolutely accurate in portraying Diana as a sacrificial brood mare who put up with endless coldness from the family she married in to as a teenager.
I’m shocked at why it is such a problem in the UK considering the tabloids were full of how many readers were going to cancel their Netflix subscriptions as soon as Harry and Meghan’s deal was announced, sigh. Then we had the rota and “experts” trying to present Netflix as waning in popularity and H&M attaching themselves to a failing media org. Now comes the volte face with the usual suspects shouting about the inaccuracies etc. with “The Crown”. The major positive with social media is the world does not believe the narrative of a limited group of sycophants.
LMAO that hadn’t occurred to me but you’re right! It was the same kind of empty threat Americans make about moving to Canada when a terrible president is elected. Not one person who said that has ever actually followed through and moved to Canada.
It’s hard to move to Canada!
In 2015 about 6600 Americans applied to come to Canada. In 2017 (Trump inauguration) that jumped to over 9000, and has hovered there since.
Canada could double its population and still have room for more.
I’m actually wondering how well these two know what really went on? Of course they were aware that their parents marriage was troubled, but seeing how they were children I can also see how they were shielded from a lot of information. They probably got their information through a third party, so I’m wondering how objective it was.
I just don’t see them sitting around reading books, articles and commentry on this because understandably it would have been too painful.
Sometimes when you grow up you learn certain truths and facts you believed about your parents have been all wrong, it’s part of maturing and growing up.
I’m just wondering if these boys (now men) have ever really gotten an objective retelling of their family’s history?
Very good point My3cents. I think you’re probably right.
What an “annus horribilis” for Charles in 2020!
It started with a dramatic Sussexit, then he (and William) fell ill with Covid and luckily survived. The rift between his sons still continues to this day and at the end of the year Diana’s spirit has come back to haunt him in the hugely successful series the Crown season 4, despite his decades-long PR campaign to boost Camilla’s and his own public image.
Can Charles repair his image? How to move forward?
I see a great opportunity next year, on Diana’s birthday when her statue will be unveiled at Kensington palace. The Sussexes, the Cambridges and Charles & Camilla could gather for the occasion and celebrate Diana’s legacy together. It might be a turning-point to finally heal this royal rift.
Harry ain’t be watching. He’s well aware that this will be a massive trigger. Heck the last couple of years were awful because of how they treated Meghan.
I’d like to imagine Meghan watching it “for Harry” just to be aware of the controversy as we know Harry generally wants to know what people are saying..maybe Meghan will be his filter.
But then again I know it’s a reach. I don’t think Meghan gives a damn about anything royal and I don’t think she would be too comfortable with it anyway. They’d probably have some wine and watch peaky blinders or some shit lol