Royal Family to be hit with ‘depressing’ new bombshell | Royal | News

For years, the world has watched the boundary between respect for the monarchy and hunger for drama blur into an indistinguishable line. And, with shows like Netflix’s The Crown, the days of quiet deference are gone, with years of shifting politics and fading empires to tackle, drama will always prevail.

With the update that new episodes of the show, which will examine the years following Queen Victoria’s death in 1901 and Princess Elizabeth’s wedding in 1947, have been greenlit, there is a chance for further scrutiny when every event from the two World Wars to Edward VIII’s abdication crisis and the uneasy accession of George VI will be looked at with fresh eyes.

While many fans of the Royal Family will be delighted by the news, one of Britain’s leading historians has issued a stark warning.

Royal expert and author, Hugo Vickers, was a fervent critic of the show when it ran between 2016 and 2023. Speaking to the Daily Express about the show’s return to the silver screen, he said: “It is depressing that The Crown may be returning to haunt our screens. I doubt the Royal Family will be concerned, however. They are aware of what the Crown makers are likely to be up to.”

Speaking about the show before, Mr Vickers said: “I really hate the series. The problem is that they are real people, and the incidents either happened or nearly did – so the show is making things up and presenting it as fact. I completely understand that fiction can help you understand a truth, but it shouldn’t pervert facts.”

The expert added: “One of the problems with The Crown is that it is beautifully acted and beautifully filmed, it all looks very convincing. I have no issue with the timeline, but I do take issue with the character presentation.

“Diana is assured, they are obviously thinking of the American market. Prince Charles beforehand was an angry wimp, were as in this series he is rather sympathetic. The Queen comes out of this very badly, they make her seem like a reactionary frump and unfortunately Prince Philip is portrayed curmudgeonly, which is the opposite to the real Prince Philip.”

Speaking about the show’s possible return, a source said: “Netflix has been locked in negotiations with the company for quite a long time about this spin-off series, but they’ve recently finally managed to seal the deal and come to an agreement.”

Peter Morgan, the show’s creator, who spearheaded the series is expected to make a return. As reported in the Daily Mail, the source added: “Peter had already been putting pen to paper and casting is expected to take place next year.”

The show’s creator has previously spoken about the show. Morgan said: “I sort of have in my head a 20-year rule. That is enough time and enough distance to really understand something, to understand its role, to understand its position, to understand its relevance.

“Often, things that appear absolutely wildly important today are instantly forgotten, and other things have a habit of sticking around and proving to be historically very relevant and long-lasting.”

The Crown originally ran for six seasons between 2016 and 2023. Spanning the years 1947 until 2005, Claire Foy, Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton all played the Queen, with Matt Smith, Tobias Menzies and Jonathon Pryce portraying her husband, Prince Philip.

Other actors included Josh O’Connor and Dominic West as Prince Charles, and Emma Corrin and Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales.