The Crown centers its plot on Queen Elizabeth and the United Kingdom under her reign. The first season began when she married Prince Philip and took over from her father when King George VI passed away.
Since the show’s emergence on Netflix, it receives praise and commendations from many avid fans and watchers. However, the tune changed when Season 4 dropped earlier this November.
Reports deemed the fourth installment as the most “controversial” season of the show. Following all the criticisms and backlash, the Daily Express reported that two Royal Navy commanders “defended” the British Monarch due to the series’ inaccurate depictions.
The Crown Season 4 included the events of the Falklands War in its course. However, the show’s depiction of Queen Elizabeth, as well as her “attitude” toward it, seemingly placed her in a bad light.
Two Royal Navy commanders, who both fought in the said war in 1982, broke their silence and slammed the series. Admiral Lord West and Rear Admiral Chris Parry accused the show of “damaging” the British Monarch’s reputation by not setting their facts straight through the series.
West and Parry raised their concerns specifically on the scene wherein the Queen appears to be unaware of the victory parade, marking the end of the war with Argentina. Later in the episode, Olivia Colman’s character sits on the couch to watch the parade from her television, looking “miffed” as if there is apparent insecurity.
The two navy commanders explained that this never happened in real life. They added that this is very “fanciful” and “offensive.”
The two Falklands veterans criticized the show, especially how The Crown depicted Queen Elizabeth. Lord West said that it is “absolute” rubbish. The show “reduced” an important part of their military’s history into a “cheap soap-opera,” he added.
Chris Parry echoed the sentiments of his co-commander. He said that the series is “disgracefully dishonest” and “exploitative.”
He argued that Queen Elizabeth was “fully engaged” with the Falklands campaign and war. They were not around at the victory parade because she and Prince Philip were on their official royal tour. Parry added that, despite the series creator’s statements that The Crown is, indeed, a dramatization, the show does not have any disclaimer before each episode.