Royal fans and palace insiders were less than impressed by a recent tweet from Netflix.
The recently released fourth season of “The Crown” tells the story of the earlier years of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s relationship, mostly from her side. The show has been criticized for not laying out that much of the drama is fictionalized, causing online trolls to attack the Duchess of Cornwall, so much so that Clarence House has restricted Twitter comments.
RELATED: Prince Charles And Camilla Restrict Twitter Comments Over Trolling
Seemingly in response to commentary over the new season, Netflix promoted their documentary “Diana: In Her Own Words” which uses the recordings she made for Andrew Morton’s tell-all biography.
In a tweet, the streaming platform wrote, “The documentary DIANA: IN HER OWN WORDS answers much of what you’re asking.”
The documentary DIANA: IN HER OWN WORDS answers much of what you’re asking pic.twitter.com/85gFfVir7h
— NetflixFilm (@NetflixFilm) December 1, 2020
“Until you know the full story from BOTH sides (which nobody but Charles & Diana know), it is impossible to think you have the full picture of what went on. It’s also not really any of our business,” wrote one person. Another added, “It tells Diana’s side of the story. Then there’ll be Charles’ side. And THEN the truth will be somewhere in between.”
Until you know the full story from BOTH sides (which nobody but Charles & Diana know), it is impossible to think you have the full picture of what went on. It’s also not really any of our business.
— Katie (@katiesroyallove) December 3, 2020
It tells Diana's side of the story. Then there'll be Charles' side. And THEN the truth will be somewhere in between.
— Boudica (@queen_boudica_) December 3, 2020
But according to the Daily Mail, a palace insider said the palace is also not happy with the tweet.
“It’s one thing to make a drama that not even the writer claims is entirely factual, but for Netflix to use its corporate social channels to create and post material that is one-sided at best feels like corporate trolling — it’s pretty sinister,” they told the publication.
Conservative peer Lord Forsyth of Drumlean also added that he will be raising the issues in the House of Lords and with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
In a letter to Ofcom, the U.K.’s communications regulator, he called for Netflix to be regulated like other broadcasters.
“What they are doing is absolutely shocking. It is mendacious and it is untrue,” he said.
“If Netflix are also using a corporate account in that way [to deliberately publicize negative programmes about the Royal Family] then the case for regulation is even stronger,” he added. “[Netflix] can’t continue to say, ‘This is drama, this is not our fault’. They are clearly using a programme which is sensationalist and mendacious to promote their commercial interests. The royals do not have a right to reply. This is damaging, nasty and unpleasant stuff.”
