Find out the differences between fact and fiction in the royal household
Britain’s culture secretary Oliver Dowden is not a fan of Netflix’s The Crown. He feels that the show makes the House of Windsor look so bad it should come with a health warning. He’s partially true. The show may not come close to the royal family when it comes to being dramatic.
Recently, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge decided to boost the citizens’ morale by taking a trip around the UK via the royal train. They wanted to thank the healthcare workers for their help during the pandemic, but the problem was that Covid restrictions made it clear that one should not venture out unless it was for something essential. By doing so, the Cambridges made it look like the rules didn’t apply to them.
What the show highlighted
The incident mentioned above is one of the many dramas the royal family caused over the years. The royal family is actually on edge because The Crown is closer to the disastrous marriage of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer, more than what the public knows. Walter Bagehot had written that the British constitution was split between “efficient,” which the government represents, and “dignified,” which the monarchy represents. But the monarchy hid Prince Andrew’s association with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein under that dignified presence as well.
The Crown may have exaggerated Prince Charles’s affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, but his determination to marry her was clear. However, when the Queen didn’t react to Diana’s death, that wasn’t an exaggeration. The episodes brought everyone’s attention to the monarchy and made them realise that their attempt to unify the country through dignity caused many things to be swept under the rug.
(Cover: Netflix)