The final season of The Crown might arguably be the most highly anticipated instalment of the drama series that depicts the trials and tribulations of the Royal Family. However, after hitting our screens late last week, one controversial detail has left viewers and critics in shock.
The Crown is a critically acclaimed Netflix series that chronicles the reign of Queen Elizabeth II and the British royal family. Spanning six drama-filled seasons, each covering a decade or so of the Queen’s life, the show delves into the personal and political challenges faced by the late Monarch who passed away in September last year.
Season Six is separated into two parts, part one explores the events leading up to the untimely death of Princess Diana in 1997, and part two, which is yet to air, will hone in on the Royal Family as they try to make sense of her tragic passing and move on with their lives.
A mother’s love.
The Crown season 6, Part 1 is now streaming. pic.twitter.com/bqxb3DrvW3— The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) November 19, 2023
The handling of the sensitive details and events leading up to Princess Diana’s passing in a horror crash in August 1997 has been cause for much debate since Netflix announced the sixth and final season.
Now that the moment has arrived, with the Princess’ death depicted in episode four of part one, critics and viewers were left reeling when the ghost of Diana returns at the end of the episode to haunt her ex-husband, then Prince Charles and the late Queen.
“After everything Charles put her through, we are expected to believe he did all that crying and had heart to hearts with Princess Diana’s ghost?! Also trying to make it look like Mou Mou was the bad guy?!” one viewer said.
“The Princess Diana / Dodi ghost interaction scenes from the crown are so cringe.”
“Whoever made the crown going to hell cause why is princess Diana‘s GHOST thanking Charles for being raw when looking at her dead body and also thanks the queen for what she has done for the British people like what????”
“Not a fan of Princess Diana being turned into a jedi force ghost…”
“Final season of the crown is out and apparently the force ghost of princess diana comes back to give a pep talk to the queen??????? how have they made something more embarrassing than the musical???”
Similarly, the ghost move did not go down well with screen critics.
Time Magazine called out Diana’s ghost as “easily the show’s worst creative decision to date.”
People Magazine described it as “a ridiculous device, and far more insulting to [Queen] Elizabeth than anything else The Crown might have thrown or will throw at her.”
The Guardian singled out the appearance of Diana’s ghost as the undisputable low of the season giving it a brutal one-star review.
If you’ve already binged the first four episodes of season six then there is more to look forward to as part two drops on December 16.
Part two picks up the story ten years later with a budding romance between Prince William and Kate Middleton and the marriage of the then Prince Charles to long-time mistress, Camilla Parker Bowles.