At the end of the day, the exact same thing happened with The Crown Season 4 and Season 5. The only difference was two years’ time. In 2020, in the weeks before Season 4 was released, then-Prince Charles ramped up a completely unhinged campaign against the Netflix show, crying about how the show was suddenly showing him in a bad light. Charles organized surrogates to loudly bitch about the series too. Two years later and now Charles is a whole-ass tampon king and he ran the exact same play. The exact same Streisand Effect result too, with more people showing interest in The Crown after witnessing Charles’s very public freakout. Meanwhile, no one in WindsorWorld wants to admit the obvious, which is that Peter Morgan is soft-pedaling so much of Charles’s actual history as a complete f–king douchebag. That The Crown is actually quite generous to Charles’s history, Margaret’s history, QEII’s history and more. But no, you would think that this is the most lurid, scandalous takedown ever. It is not. Anyway, Katie Nicholl at Vanity Fair did a piece about why Charles is so, so worried about The Crown.
Will the Windsors watch it? Sources close to the king and queen consort have told Vanity Fair that Charles has no plans to watch, having considered season four too close for comfort. “They have watched some of The Crown, but I doubt they’ll be in a hurry to see this one,” says a family friend.
Camilla & Charles stopped after season 3: As VF has reported, Camilla has enjoyed watching previous seasons of The Crown and found them “entertaining,” according to a friend. Charles stopped viewing the last season before the end because it was “too close to the bone,” per the same source.
High-level concerns: I am told that there are concerns at the highest level that this season could have a real impact on Charles and Camilla’s popularity. Just months into his reign, Charles is said to be privately frustrated that there are so many headlines about The Crown. A former courtier once told me that one of Charles’s greatest concerns about becoming king was that he would always be haunted by his past, and the latest season of The Crown, with Dominic West as Charles and Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, focuses on the period that is the largest source of that insecurity.
Ingrid Seward on the real problem with The Crown: “The main problem is that Netflix has such a huge subscription that The Crown has a global following, and Charles cares about that. While most British people of a generation are very familiar with this period of royal history, many more don’t know the ins and outs of the monarchy or how it works, and if they base their knowledge on what they see in The Crown, that is problematic for the royal family. Charles, as a person, is very self-deprecating. He’s always saying, ‘I’m an old man, no one takes any notice of me,’ and he doesn’t mind people having a pop at him, but this is too close up and personal.”
I am once again asking British people to please get some therapy instead of projecting all of your bullsh-t onto a Netflix series. That goes doubly for Charles and the rest of his family. This is the most telling statement: “A former courtier once told me that one of Charles’s greatest concerns about becoming king was that he would always be haunted by his past…” THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE ACTED RIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE, CHUCK. This is not some tale about a youthful indiscretion when Charles was 18 years old. He was a man in his 30s and 40s, plotting with his married mistress to marry a teenage virgin so he could have legitimate heirs, then he treated his broodmare wife with disdain, disgust and disrespect for years as he still carried on a flagrant affair with his (still married!) mistress. He worries that his past will come back to haunt him? It should come back to haunt him, his behavior was completely appalling and disgusting. Instead of working on himself and becoming a better man, he went on to run the exact same f–king play on his younger son too – a campaign of smears and gaslighting.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, visit Canada Diana is wearing a Catherine Walker suit and a hat by Graham Smith at Kangol City Hall, Prince George, British Columbia,Image: 513291383, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: John Shelley Collection / Avalon
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- Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, visit Canada. Edmonton Alberta Legislative Building,Image: 536837362, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: John Shelley Collection / Avalon
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- Prince William is seen with his parents HRH Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana (wearing Vanvelden puritan collar) during their 1983 official visit to New Zealand, in April 1983 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by ),Image: 542513418, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Anwar Hussein / Avalon
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- Britain’s Prince Charles attends an advent service held at Holy Trinity Brompton church in London, Britain, December 9, 2021.,Image: 647144842, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- LLANDRINDOD WELLS, WALES – DECEMBER 10: Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, speaks to guests at a reception for PRIME Cymru at the Metropole Hotel and Spa on December 10, 2021 in Llandrindod Wells, Wales. The Prince of Wales attended a reception to celebrate PRIME Cymru’s 20th year and the expansion of its volunteer mentoring programme.,Image: 647422643, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Matthew Horwood / Avalon
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- Britain’s Prince Charles arrives Kromek Group for an official visit in Sedgefield, England, Tuesday, April 5, 2020. The prince is on series of visits to England’s north east .,Image: 680351339, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- EMBARGOED TO 0001 TUESDAY APRIL 26 The Prince of Wales meeting children who have been learning about food as part of the Food For The Future, a pilot food education programme delivered by The Prince’s Foundation, at Dumfries House in Cumnock, Ayrshire. Picture date: Monday April 25, 2022.,Image: 685948383, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, held at Westminster Abbey, London. Featuring: King Charles III, Camila the Queen Consort and Princess Anne Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 19 Sep 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- King Charles And Camilla Queen Consort Visit Scotland Featuring: King Charles III and Camilla Queen Consort Where: Scotland, Scotland, United Kingdom When: 03 Oct 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- King Charles III and Camilla Queen Consort attend a reception to thank the community of Aberdeenshire for their organisation and support following the death of Queen Elizabeth II at Station Square, the Victoria & Albert Halls, Ballater. Featuring: King Charles III Where: Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom When: 11 Oct 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
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- King Charles III and Camilla Queen Consort attend a reception to thank the community of Aberdeenshire for their organisation and support following the death of Queen Elizabeth II at Station Square, the Victoria & Albert Halls, Ballater. Featuring: Camilla Queen Consort Where: Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom When: 11 Oct 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
You go Kaiser.
100% this. I especially love bringing up how he did the same thing to his SPARE son. And now he’s worried people noticed? We noticed. We leaned into it.
As he should be. Actions have consequences.
And if you do genuinely grow and realise you acted badly when you look back you step up, own that, apologise to those negatively impacted.
Charles assumes he can tell us what to think and we’ll do just that but while he tries hard to control the narrative he cannot.
Exactly. If you don’t want to be remembered as having been a douche, then don’t be a douche right now. Show how you’re a better person right now and in the future. But Charles couldn’t manage to do that with H&M – not while they were with the RF, not when they left, and not even when TQ died – and these choices of Charles are in recent memory. People don’t have to watch The Crown to see that Charles is a small, petty man.
you nailed it – if Charles wanted to escape his past he shouldn’t have repeated it with H&M – imagine if he had gone out of his way to support Meghan as the asset Diana could have been
this season of the Crown is VERY sympathetic to Charles – it toes the party line of “poor Charles he just had such a stifled life with an incompatible and unstable wife but he’s so progressive” – and he STILL comes across as a jerk
Seems like Peter Morgan tried to be as nicey-nice about the truth as he could manage…for what that’s worth.
Seriously, if you wanted to be portrayed better, YOU SHOULD HAVE ACTED BETTER.
All Charles had to do at any time over the past 30 years is admit that he behaved poorly and express sympathy for his (ex) wife and children. Then he could move on freely. But no, he can’t possibly do that. So yeah, he will always be haunted by it. The entire RF needs so much therapy, it would taken the entirety of their stolen hoard to pay for it.
“Just months into his reign, Charles is said to be privately frustrated that there are so many headlines about The Crown.”
Well, UpChuck, maybe you and your minions shouldn’t have run to the papers with your smear campaign. There are SO many headlines about it because you just won’t shut the fuck up!
Aghhh, responding so late. Sorry. Why would Charles complain of The Crown? The Crown has seemed to me very, very considerate of the BRF and this latest season is bordering on fawning to me. Sometimes I wonder if I’m watching the same series as everyone else!
Same! It’s a fawning excuse-fest.
Someone photoshop him into a nightgown like Ebenezer Scrooge, because he deserves to be haunted by his past, his present, and his yet to come.
Lol, now that would be an interesting version of the Dickens classic. I might actually watch that.
Charles as Scrooge is brilliant. I wonder if any UK comedy show would touch that
Someone ask Gary Janetti for next year?!
Diana died when she was just starting to live. Her young sons were forever traumatized and denied proper mental health resources. But go off about your own pain Charles.
The damage is generational and Charles and now William are so enmeshed in themselves it is obscene. Karma will come for Charles who should be ashamed to show his face, but he really doesn’t own up to his mistakes.
Charles is “privately frustrated?” PRIVATELY?? He hasn’t STFU about it for months. JFC
ETA: @Zazzoo, 👏👏👏
Charles really is a loser isn’t he?
The looserest looser who ever lost
Boo 👻 bitch
I think what this man fails to realize is most folks out of the UK do not think of him much and when they do two people come to mind, the late Princess Diana and his son Harry. Otherwise, he is an afterthought. The institution still has relevance because of its place in history but he does not.
Exactly this👆
No one forced you to cheat on your wife Chuck. You made that choice and that will always be part of your resume.
Excellent comments here and I agree 100%.
Charles has behaved horribly in his past.
William should be in therapy right now before the mindf*ckery he and Charles live with gets passed down to George.
Harry is a very strong person, IMO, because he did seek out therapy and continues to try to grow. Plus H&M getting their kids out = best thing for him so The Firm does not control their lives too.
Not only was he canoodling with Cam during his marriage, he had several other mistresses as well. Cam and Lady Dale Tyron (Kanga) were bitter enemies. His blatant disrespect for Diana was appalling and he should thank his lucky stars that The Crown has depicted him in a much softer light than he deserves. He is such a putz…
That man looks more and more like a fairy-tale villain every day.
Has Charles ever apologised for ill-treating Diana? I know he and Camilla asked for forgiveness of the church for committing adultery but I don’t remember him admitting that what he did to Diana i.e. the smearing and gaslighting was wrong.
The Crown bothers the royals because it has “global reach” and while they have successfully gaslit and brainwashed the British public for years, their gaslighting and brainwashing doesn’t have this same global reach. So they hate the idea that because of The Crown there are actually people in the world who see them as they are–spoiled, entitled, self-absorbed leeches who never take responsibility or are held accountable.
Most of the information about the disintegration of the then Wales marriage, why micromanage a foreign company’s take on said info?
One solution to free speech is more speech, the Crown is historical fiction can be counteracted with history.
They will not spend a lot of time on the marriage, unless it affected state affairs.
The fact that King Charles wanted to be Prince Regent when the late Queen turned 65 years, is what peeked my interest.
Despite in the series, they reveal this important item as a discussion with John Major and then Prince Charles which was incorrect.
The discussion was with an unnamed PM.
Now that is state affairs.
Edit: most of the information of the Wales marriage in the Crown was already known and public.
Kaiser you get my vote for best factual analysis. These people in the main stream media should take notes from you .
I wonder if any of the critics of The Crown have even watched the series. I’m currently on Season 5–and the episode about the al-Fayed family had me in tears: the structural racism of colonization and its stain on generations is so beautifully written and acted with so much nuance. Even the alleged “controversial” episode of “Camilla-gate” (interesting that the UK media likes to name a scandal after women–ie “Megxit”) was so incredibly level, non-sensational and painted everyone involved as three-dimensional. I personally think the monarchy is archaic–but I’m an American with no dogs in the fight, and I still manage to find the Sussexes, Wales and the new King neither evil or good–just complicated like all of us.
Nearly everyone besides the tory press now refers to the leaked phone call as tampongate. But yes, the misogyny of the names shines through.
I think they’ve all seen it. How could they resist? But if they won’t admit it, then no one needs to listen to anything they have to say about it.
The al Fayed episode was heartbreaking and I was impressed with how they handled it and that they were willing to go there in the first place.
“One of Charles’s greatest concerns about becoming king was that he would always be haunted by his past …”
Actually, that’s one of my greatest hopes.
How can he complain about it while adamantly insisting he’s not watching it? How are we to take any of his concerns seriously or give him any validation. It seems like basic PR to me. And of course I don’t actually believe him!
There is a saying that is particular apt here: “Don’t start, won’t be none.”
If Charles hadn’t acted atrociously towards his poor wife, cheated on her, disparaged her name, and then treated his new DIL just as badly in different ways, then he wouldn’t have to worry about his portrayal or his son’s book or documentary or anything.
No one is playing their violin for him.
Ugh. Of course, I’d mess up the quote. “Don’t start none, won’t be none.”
I think of this saying ALL THE TIME when Charles is bitching the Crown lol.
Jesus, any real thinking person is haunted by past misdeeds. That is how we make amends and improve. My mind reminds me of my faults whenever I need it. That is so important for us to grow and change. The Windsors are a big mess.
Haunted by his past? Aren’t we all?
Of course he wasn’t complaining when he got sympathetic storylines – poor bullied Charles, his dad was so mean to make him go to Gordonstoun – even though that made Philip look rather bad. Charles didn’t care about that.
He’s a self absorbed twit. And as others have said – there are so many headlines because HE WON’T SHUT UP ABOUT IT!!
Yes, he is completely self-absorbed and self-pitying, while very callous about other people.
I wish that for him. It is what he deserves. No, what he truly deserves and what Harry and William deserve is for Diana to still be alive. That never should have happened and that’s all I’ll say.
Does the bm really believe that what happened to Di in real time wasn’t noticed by anyone outside of the UK? In the US we watched it in real time and there are plenty of people who knew what was going on. I suspect there are any number of other countries who can say that.
I wonder if the real issue here is that the world gets to see that the playbook used on Princess Di is the same one that is being used on H&M? I believe that is much more damaging at this point. I find it shocking that those who work for the Firm and the family members thought they could do the same and not realize the result would be different. They completely ignored social media. They also ignored the changing of the century. You can’t play by old playbooks and not expect to be caught lacking.
Ingrid is in denial about Charles reactions to being criticized. He blames others for his own decisions and bad choices.
Thanks, Kaiser. Your analysis here was a very cathartic read. So effective, I wish I could read it again for the first time!
Charles has never thought he’s done anything wrong, ever. He thinks anyone hinting at the slightest bit of criticism of anything he does is an enemy out to get him. Self-pity is his overwhelming state of being.
Btw, I think he’s starting to smear William in the press now too. To some extent, who cares, there’s plenty of true stuff on William that’s been hidden. On the other hand, Charles raised William to be like this. When anti-William sentiment involves pro-Charles sentiment, I want nothing to do with it.
Dear Mr Chuck:
“You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should’ve behaved better.” — Anne Lamott
You should have behaved.
I have always wondered what Charles said or discussed with his sons about their mother-did he ever tell them about the failure of the marriage or did they have to read about it in the tabloids
Season 5 of The Crown is a disappointment to me. The Chuck v Di story is so watered down I don’t recognize it.