The Crown: Will the Royals Sue Over 'Controversial' Series Five?

While most of us are literally counting down the days until The Crown returns to Netflix (although sadly, season five is still another year away), some people really aren't looking forward to its comeback, and by people, we mean the Royal Family. Yep, despite the show being somewhat based on their own lives, the Royal Family are not the biggest fans of the hit Netflix series, and it's been reported that they've actually been given the go-ahead to sue the streaming giant over its portrayal of the Monarchy.

To recap, seasons one and two of The Crown focussed on the early days of the Queen's reign, covering historic events like Churchill's resignation and Her Majesty's Silver Jubilee celebrations. But, by the time viewers made it to season four, the series began covering more modern-day events, like Prince Charles meeting wife-to-be Princess Diana. Understandably then, some members of the Royal Family (and their friends who also feature in the series) are concerned about how they'll be portrayed in the upcoming fifth season of The Crown.

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"This series will be the most controversial ever," a source told The Sun, "It deals with events that are still incredibly raw for many." For that reason, according to the insider, members of the Monarchy's inner circle have been in contact with law firms to find out what their legal rights are if the Netflix series damages their reputations. As well as that, The Sun reports that the royals themselves would also have grounds for lawsuits.

"The Queen’s lawyers have been keeping a close eye on everything," another insider told the newspaper, "The Crown has become even more of a talking point."

The source added: "Worryingly, a lot of people, especially Americans, seem to think it is effectively a documentary — and much of the drama hasn’t exactly been flattering from a royal perspective. But these are real people and many are still alive. The next series could potentially be very damaging." Because of this, the Government has apparently requested that the streaming giant add a disclaimer to the show to remind viewers it is largely based on fiction. However, Netflix hasn't yet done so.

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The news that the Royal Family could potentially sue Netflix comes just one week after Princess Diana's friend, and script adviser, quit the show. Jemima Khan said she was unhappy with how the show plans to portray her late friend in the upcoming season.