'The Crown' Sparks Controversy in the UK
by EG
The UK government wants Netflix to include a disclaimer on The Crown to remind viewers that its depiction of the British royal family is fiction, not fact. Netflix disagrees that a disclaimers is necessary, and a new poll suggests that viewers aren't being affected by the show in the way the UK government fears they will be. Read on for details.
Via Page Six.
Netflix’s spicy historical drama “The Crown” is polishing — not tarnishing — the royal family’s reputation, a new poll shows.
More than a third of the show’s viewers — 35% –told the polling firm Focaldata that their opinion of the British monarchy improved “a bit” or “a lot,” The Sunday Times of London reported.
And 42% didn’t feel any differently about the family, even after watching Season 4, released just last month. A few of the episodes detail Princess Diana’s loneliness and Prince Charles’ affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. Charles and Camilla married in 2005.
However, 23% told pollsters that their impression worsened — 18% by “a bit” and 5% by “a lot.”
Those viewers seem to be the ones who the royals fear the most.
Charles and Camila’s official Twitter account turned off comments on a post about charity work after users replied with hateful jabs about the couple’s treatment of Diana.
As for the future king, 39% viewers still have the same opinion of him as they did before, while 34% think better of him.
Only Prince Andrew, whose alleged penchant for pedophilia was finally explored in Season 4, had consistently negative ratings.
The UK government wants the streaming service to remind viewers that the show is only loosely based on real-life events.
“It’s a beautifully produced work of fiction, so as with other TV productions, Netflix should be very clear at the beginning it is just that,” said Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden. “Without this, I fear a generation of viewers who did not live through these events may mistake fiction for fact.”
Get the rest of the story at Page Six.
Does The Crown make you think less of the British royal family? Let us know in the comments below.