Dame Judi Dench is the latest prominent figure to request that a disclaimer be included in The Crown to clarify that the series is not necessarily accurate.
According to the actor, Netflix “appears eager to fudge the lines between historical accuracy and vulgar sensationalism.”
Dame Judi stated that there was a possibility that “a substantial number of viewers” might accept its events as historically accurate.
Netflix has previously defended the royal series, stating that it is “presented as a historical drama.”
The Oscar-winning actor’s letter to The Times follows Sir John Major’s reservations regarding the substance of the fifth season of The Crown, which will represent the Royal Family in the 1990s.
Sir John described as “malicious nonsense” a scene in which he and Prince Charles, as he was at the time, are supposed to have discussed the Queen’s abdication.
On Thursday afternoon, the trailer for the fifth season of The Crown was revealed.
In her letter, Dame Judi stated, “Sir John Major is not alone in his concern that the most recent season of The Crown would give an erroneous and harmful portrayal of history.
“The closer the drama is to the present, the more eager it appears to be to cross the line between historical authenticity and vulgar sensationalism.
“While many will recognize The Crown for what it is — a superb but fictionalized portrayal of historical events — I fear that a considerable percentage of viewers, particularly in foreign countries, will believe its history to be entirely accurate.”
‘Cruelly unfair’
Dame Judi stated that the anticipated recommendations in the upcoming series were “cruelly unjust to the individuals and detrimental to the institution they represent,” especially so soon after the passing of the Queen.
She continued, “No one believes in artistic freedom more than I do, but this must be challenged.
“Despite announcing publicly this week that The Crown has always been a ‘fictionalized drama,’ the producers have rejected calls for a disclaimer at the beginning of each episode.
“The moment has come for Netflix to reconsider – for the benefit of a freshly bereaved family and nation, as a measure of respect for a monarch who faithfully served her people for 70 years, and to preserve its reputation in the eyes of its British subscribers.”
Dame Judi has previously portrayed Queen Victoria in the historical dramas Victoria & Abdul (2017) and Mrs. Brown (1997).
The actress has a close relationship with King Charles and Queen Consort.
Dominic West will play Charles in the upcoming season of the lavish royal drama, while Elizabeth Debicki will portray Diana and Imelda Staunton will play the Queen.
A Netflix representative previously stated, “The Crown has always been promoted as a historical drama.”
“Series five is a fictitious dramatization, exploring what may have occurred behind closed doors during a significant decade for the royal family – a decade that has already been scrutinized by journalists, biographers, and historians.”
The program’s creator, Peter Morgan, defended the upcoming season in an interview published this week by the American magazine Entertainment Weekly.
“I believe that we must all acknowledge that the 1990s were a terrible time for the royal family and that King Charles will almost definitely have some bitter recollections of that era,” he said.
“However, with the benefit of hindsight, history will not necessarily be cruel to him or the monarchy. The show is most certainly not.”
The possibility of a disclaimer is widely debated. When the last season premiered in 2020, the culture secretary at the time, Oliver Dowden, stated that younger viewers “may confuse fiction for fact.”
The fifth season of The Crown will premiere on November 9.
