The royals could have worked with producers of The Crown to make it more authentic. Photo / Netflix
The royals may regret not working with Netflix to make The Crown more authentic.
Royal commentator Omid Scobie says the royal family must be "kicking themselves" for passing up the chance to fact-check the popular Netflix show, writes The Sun.
Scobie, who co-wrote Harry and Meghan biography Finding Freedom with Carolyn Durand, said the show was shaping the narrative around the royal family.
He told royal podcast The Heirpod, "I always wondered why there wasn't more collaboration between the two."
"Those working on the show did reach out the palace to see if there was an opportunity for fact-checking, but the answer was a firm no.
"But, now we've reached these key years, I wonder if any royals are kicking themselves for not taking advantage of that opportunity, because this narrative is being shaped for many around the world.
"They expect 25 million households to view this new season within its first four weeks. That's 25 million people who will have their opinion of the royal family shaped by this."
And ABC foreign correspondent Maggie Rulli said, "I wonder, going forward, if they start moving into the modern era of the royals, if they will decide to become more involved.
"But, I don't know, it does seem to go against everything the royal family stands for, especially the Queen.
"I can't imagine them actually working with Netflix like this."
There's also speculation the show will extend past its sixth season, meaning it would cover the adult lives of William and Harry.
"Despite reports it would stop before William and Harry become adults, I have heard rumblings that there is even talk inside Netflix about the possibility about whether the show could be extended," Scobie said.
"When you think about how much controversy this current season has created, this is going to have a presence in the royal family's life for quite some time."
It comes after Diana's brother Charles Spencer slammed the series for being full of "invention", as he's passionate about honouring his sister's memory.
He told a British TV show last week, "It is very hard, there is a lot of conjecture and a lot of invention, isn't there?
"You can hang it on fact but the bits in between are not fact."
Diana's struggles with marriage to Charles are played out on the show as well as her battle with bulimia.
Charles Spencer also revealed the producers of the show asked if they could film at the Spencer home Althorp.