NEWSPrince Harry & Meghan Markle Can't Comment on 'The Crown,' And Here's Why
They're caught in the middle between The Crown and the actual crown! After season four of the hit Netflix series portrayed Prince Harry's parents, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, in a poor light, the public was left to wonder why the red-headed royal and wife Meghan Markle have yet to make a statement — though it may have a little something to do with their major deal with the streaming giant.
"Meghan and Harry are in a bit of trouble with this over the fact Harry has said nothing about the way in which his mother and father have been portrayed in this series," talkRADIO host Mike Graham said while speaking with guest Olivia Utley.
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"He has got himself into some hot water," Utley added. "He has got this deal with Netflix so he can't really say anything. Netflix is where their next paycheck is coming from. Prince Harry is going to find himself in situations like this surely over and over again," she noted. "How could he have just run off to Hollywood and not realized there are going to be huge consequences? There are going to be massive conflicts of interest all the time."
Graham added that the royal family's row with Netflix is not going away anytime soon. "I know some people are sick to death about hearing about Harry and Meghan. But there are still people who believe Harry and Meghan are part of the Royal Family, there are still people who believe they are trading on that name," he said. "And I am afraid we are not going to stop picking them up on it. It is as simple as that."
Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, signed their million-dollar deal with Netflix months after they stepped away from their senior royal duties earlier this year. Their new deal — which allows the couple to be financially independent from the royal family — will help Harry and Meghan rebrand themselves as Hollywood stars while they reside in their $14.65M Montecito, Calif., mansion with their son, Archie.
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The strain on Harry and Meghan's relationship with the royals has only worsened since the debut of The Crown's fourth season. The new season focuses on Prince Charles' relationship with Princess Diana and his infamous affair with Camilla Parker Bowles — whom he married eight years after Diana's tragic death. Royal analysts have urged the duo to abandon their agreement with the streaming service after their inaccurate portrayal of the royal family.
"Their reported $100 million (£78 million) deal with the U.S. streaming giant will help give Harry financial freedom but it has raised eyebrows back home — particularly among those close to Charles and William," Mail on Sunday columnist Emily Andrews explained. "How can he take money from a company that traduces his family? That unfeelingly recreates the Irish terrorist bomb that killed Lord Mountbatten and three others? That mawkishly picks over the carcass of Harry and William's parents' bitter marriage break-up like a vulture?"
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Royal insiders noted Prince William is "not too pleased" with the depiction of Charles and Diana's relationship. "He feels that both his parents are being exploited and being presented in a false, simplistic way to make money."
Charles' pals also shared their anger over his portrayal and how the media company is exploiting the royal family for monetary gain. "In this case, it's dragging up things that happened during very difficult times 25 or 30 years ago without a thought for anyone’s feelings," the source said. "That isn't right or fair, particularly when so many of the things being depicted don't represent the truth."
