Netflix bosses have been branded ‘highly insensitive’ (Picture: Keith Bernstein)
Netflix bosses have been criticised for being ‘highly insensitive’ and accused of ‘rewriting history’ after reportedly ‘changing’ the Queen’s historic 1992 speech in The Crown.
The Queen’s 40th year on the throne was, in her own words, her ‘annus horribilis’ after enduring the breakdown of three of her children’s marriages, including King Charles and Princess Diana, and a devastating fire to her Windsor home.
On her Ruby Jubilee, she said: ‘1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an “Annus Horribilis.”
‘I suspect that I am not alone in thinking it so. Indeed, I suspect that there are very few people or institutions unaffected by these last months of worldwide turmoil and uncertainty.’
In The Crown, which sees Imelda Staunton take over from Olivia Coleman as the late Queen, the speech has reportedly been ‘rewritten’.
A source revealed: ‘Netflix can argue about what may or may not have happened behind closed doors to justify some of their storylines.
The Queen died on September 8 (Picture: PA)
‘But they’ve essentially rewritten history by changing the speech.’
The insider continued to The Sun: ‘This will only add to the sense that The Crown is taking huge liberties with the truth and unfairly causing untold damage to the reputation of the monarchy.
‘It also feels highly insensitive given that the Queen only passed away last month, and the nation is trying to rally around the royal family.’
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Imelda Staunton takes on the role of the late monarch (Picture: Netflix / Alex Bailey)
An official spokesperson for The Crown told Metro.co.uk: ‘We’ve always made it clear that The Crown is a fictional drama inspired by real events.’
The highly-anticipated upcoming fifth series of The Crown will follow the breakdown of Charles’ marriage to Diana, and has recently been the subject of much controversy, with many including Dame Judi Dench slamming the ‘crude sensationalism’.
Elizabeth Debicki will be taking on the role of Princess Diana opposite Dominic West as Prince Charles.
Elizabeth Debicki will play Princess Diana (Picture: PA)
Dominic West plays the then-Prince Charles (Picture: NETFLIX)
Amid the ongoing criticism, a disclaimer was recently added to the trailer outlining that the story is a ‘fictional dramatisation’ that’s ‘inspired by real events’.
Despite the furore that continues to surround The Crown, Imelda, 66, has emphasised that creator Peter Morgan has deep admiration for the royal family.
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When asked if there were any particular royal moments she was hoping Peter might write into the script, the actress responded to Variety: ‘No. Because one knows that they can’t do everything because this is a sort of stock cube, if you like, of the last – whether it’s a decade or shorter than that, or slightly longer than that – so they can’t tick every single box.
‘Also, Peter Morgan has obviously got a huge affection for this family having done the film The Queen, then The Audience, then The Crown. I don’t think he would have bothered to keep going if he wasn’t quite emotionally, I think, involved with it.’
The Crown season 5 premieres on Wednesday November 9 on Netflix.
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MORE : Imelda Staunton insists The Crown’s creator has ‘great affection’ for the royal family
The highly-anticipated new series of The Crown launches in a matter of days.