U.K. Government’s Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden Says Netflix Should Call ‘The Crown’ Fiction

The United Kingdom’s Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has stated that Netflix should make it clear on the fact that The Crown is a drama based off of real people and events. The Crown tells the story of Queen Elizabeth‘s decades-long reign on the British throne.

“It’s a beautifully produced work of fiction, so as with other TV productions, Netflix should make it very clear at the beginning it is just that,” Dowden told The Daily Mail. The critically acclaimed series released the newest season on November 16 showing the relationship between Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor) and Princess Diana (Emma Corrin), along with Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) as Britain’s first female Prime Minister.

“Without this, I fear a generation of viewers who did not live through these events may mistake fiction for fact.” Dowden believes that the creator of the show has fabricated stories and drama that has only hurt the monarchy and members of the royal family, especially the ones who are still alive today. Dowden wants Netflix to put a disclaimer at the beginning of the episode warning viewers that some events in the episode are not historically accurate.

The controversy of the series inventing scenes stating that Prince Charles continued to have an affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles while being married to Princess Diana has sparked Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer to agree with Dowden’s claims about episode warnings about the accuracy of what you are watching.

The Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning series has been renewed for seasons five and six with the sixth being the final season of the show. It has already been announced that a cast change will occur again displaying older versions of the show’s characters. Imelda Staunton will take over the role of Queen Elizabeth II from Olivia Coleman, Jonathan Pryce will step in as Prince Phillip, Leslie Manville as Princess Margaret and Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana. New casting for the Queen’s children have not been announced yet. All four seasons of The Crown are now streaming on Netflix.