Netflix’s hit drama series The Crown may be based on real events and people from the British Royal family, but the real-life Prince Charles has reportedly insisted he is “nowhere near” his portrayal on the popular show.
Speaking at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scottish politician Anas Sarwar recounts his first encounter with the senior royal who made a quip about the show during his attendance at the opening of the Scottish Parliament last October, according to The Daily Mail.
“He came over and went, ‘Hello, nice to meet you all. I’m nowhere near how they portray me on Netflix,’ ” Sarwar said.
“I thought that was a really interesting way of how you describe yourself.”
Charles’ character was first introduced in season 3 of the series, with actor Josh O’Conner portraying the young adolescent royal before being replaced by Dominic West in season 5 who will portray an older Charles.
As part of The Crown’s storyline, the show depicted the rise and fall of Charles’s marriage to the late Princess Diana and while the Duke of Cornwall made no comment on Netflix’s breakdown of their divorce, critics have previously accused the streaming giants of its “distorted and at times downright inaccurate” portrayal of events.
This isn’t the first time the members of the royal family have acknowledged the polarising drama series, which presents a heavily dramatised portrayal of the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II and well-known members of her family.
Prior to his death, the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip made it brutally clear he was in no way a fan of the show, while his wife, Queen Elizabeth II stood in stark contrast to her late husband having claimed to enjoy the show.
Prince Harry has previously claimed that the series is not entirely inaccurate, telling TV personality, James Corden that the show “gives you a rough idea about that lifestyle, and the pressures of putting duty and service above family and everything else, and what can come from that”.
Charles’ wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, even had the opportunity to meet her fictional counterpart, Emerald Fennell, earlier this year during a reception for International Women’s Day at Clarence House, cracking a joke about her character on the show.
“For me, it’s very reassuring to know that if I should fall off my perch at any moment, my fictional alter ego is here to take over,” Camilla had said at the time.
Despite reports of concerns within Buckingham Place regarding the portrayal of the Royal Family, no member of the Royal Family has taken legal action against the show.
However, it has been made clear to them that they are entitled to sue the makers of the show should Netflix show an episode that may cause serious harm or damage to the Queen’s reputation.