London (CNN) – Netflix came out in defense of its series “The Crown”, stressing that it is a “dramatic fantasy”, after the former British Prime Minister, John Major, criticized its portrayal of his period in office as a “harmful fantasy”. “A load of bullshit”.
Al-Raed, who was prime minister from 1990 to 1997, responded on Saturday to rumors that appeared in newspapers British media That one of the new season’s plot lines shows King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales, hinting that he wants to support Major for his mother’s abdication.
Another story is said to include disparaging conversations about Major, played by Johnny Lee Miller, and his wife Norma, about the Queen and the royal family.
Former Prime Minister John Major in London in February 2022.
Image source: Dominic Lipinski / PA Images / Getty Images
A statement on behalf of the former prime minister sent to CNN on Monday described these scenes as “a collection of nonsense sold for no other reason than to provide maximum dramatic effect and wholly untrue.”
“Sir John has not cooperated in any way with ‘The Crown’. He has not been contacted to verify the scripts for this or any other series,” a Major’s spokesperson said in the statement.
“Discussions between the King and the Prime Minister are strictly confidential and for Sir John they will always be. But none of the scenes filmed are in any way accurate. They are imaginative, pure and simple,” the spokesman said.
He added: “There was never any discussion between Sir John and the then Prince of Wales of the possible abdication of the late Queen Elizabeth II, nor has the then Prince of Wales (or Sir John) ever raised such an improbable and inappropriate subject.” .
“Neither Sir John nor Mrs Norma have spoken of remote ownership on the terms you suggest in your email,” the spokesperson said, adding: “What you write as described in the text has never been your view. It will never be your view, and it will never be your view.” .
The next season of “The Crown” will premiere on Netflix on November 9, in which Imelda Staunton will take on the role of Queen Olivia Colman, who played her in seasons 3 and 4.
According to Netflix’s description, Season 5 focuses on the Queen “approaching the 40th anniversary of her accession.”
Netflix responded to the scandal on Monday. “The Crown has always been presented as a drama based on historical fact,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
The spokesperson added: “The fifth series is a fictional play, imagining what could have happened behind closed doors over an important decade for the royal family, a decade that has been well vetted and documented by journalists, biographers and historians.”
The series, created by Peter Morgan, swept the drama categories at last year’s Emmy Awards, winning Best Drama Series of the Night.
– Lisa Spears France contributed to this report.
“Travel junkie. Coffee lover. Incurable social media evangelist. Zombie maven.”