Netflix’s hit drama The Crown is set to return next month, with season 5 being the first to air following Queen Elizabeth II’s death on 8th September 2022.
Some have criticised the streamer for going ahead with the series’s new season, particularly since it will deal with then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s divorce and the events leading to her passing.
Speaking to EW, creator Peter Morgan spoke about how “complex” filming after the Queen’s passing had been, and how the series won’t be “unkind” to the monarchy.
“I felt a great many things at the same time,” he told the outlet when asked about the Queen’s passing.
“And the days that followed were simultaneously a global phenomenon, a moment in history which you watched unfold as a spectator, and an intense and entirely moving personal experience which one wanted to process alone. The entire experience was made even more complex by the fact that, as my protagonist, of course, she is still very much alive.”
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Though Morgan agreed that the period in the ’90s the new season covers will have “painful memories” for King Charles, it “doesn’t mean that, with the benefit of hindsight, history will be unkind to him, or the monarchy”.
“The show certainly isn’t,” he added. “I have enormous sympathy for a man in his position — indeed, a family in their position. People are more understanding and compassionate than we expect sometimes.”
You can watch seasons 1-4 of The Crown right now on Netflix. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide.
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