‘The Crown’ actor sent a letter to King Charles and was shocked by his response
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Some of you are surely eagerly awaiting the release of The Crown season 5 on Netflix – and not just because it centres around the much beloved ‘People’s Princess’, Diana. (Although, that is a huge selling point!)
Perhaps one reason to tune in is for the intriguing drama that happens both on and the off-screen.
For example, did you know that one of The Crown’s actors was so worried about how his portrayal of Charles would be received by the royal family that he wrote a letter to King Charles III himself?
Yes, apparently English actor Dominic West was so concerned about how his take on Prince Charles during the breakdown of his marriage to Princess Diana would be perceived by actual royalty that he offered to resign from The Prince’s Trust charity – which he has been an ambassador for since 2015.
The Prince’s Trust was founded in 1976 by Charles himself to help people aged 11 to 30 get into jobs, education, and training regardless of background.
So as you can imagine, it probably wouldn’t look great if one of its representatives was playing a role depicting the monarch in a not-so-flattering light...on television...to millions of people around the world… we don't think we need to explain this any further!
Going back, West said he felt compelled to resign from his post over concerns his role in the Netflix series would pose conflicts with his duties.
And so, the 53-year-old actor sent a letter to the King. And the response he got?
Basically, he was told not to bother!
In an interview, the West said he received a rather blunt and relaxed reply from King Charles III’s press secretary telling him: ‘You do what you like, you’re an actor, it has nothing to do with us.’
West further thought that in declining his proposal to resign out of courtesy, perhaps the King wasn’t so concerned because he was in a position to spot the truth (and lies) in the semi-fictional show, The Crown.
The Netflix series’ 5th season, premiering on November 9, will cover a tumultuous part of the royal family’s history, including the breakdown of then-Prince Charles’ marriage to Princess Diana and his relationship with now-Queen Consort Camilla Parker-Bowles.
Source: YouTube/Entertainment Weekly
One particularly scandalous episode to come out of that era was Prince Charles’ infamous leaked phone call with Parker-Bowles which had sexually explicit content (to put it lightly).
West says his opinions of the scandal changed after The Crown, now thinking the exchange was ‘sweet’ rather than ‘filthy’.
‘My memory of it is that it was sort of filthy and dirty and really embarrassing, but actually, in the playing of it, it was much more like two middle-aged lovers being sweet to each other,’ he said.
‘If any one of us had our intimate phone conversations reproduced verbatim in every newspaper in the world, imagine what that’s like…how awful that is.’
He also says he now feels sympathetic towards King Charles III and the Queen Consort after their leaked conversation in 1993.
‘It was just an intensely personal conversation, and what was sordid was the prurient interest in it,’ he said.
‘It just strikes you as being a horrible breach of privacy that no one should have to suffer.’
Prince Charles and Princess Diana divorced in 1996. A year later in Paris, Princess Diana died in a tragic car accident.
West says he now feels some sympathy for the King and Queen Consort over their infamous leaked conversation. Credit: 7News
It’s fair to say that until now, many remain enamoured with this chapter of the royal family’s history, especially with Princess Diana’s enduring legacy.
If you have time, please check out other stories we have on The Crown, including criticism for covering an infamous interview of Diana’s for its new season and Dame Judi Dench’s displeasure at the show’s ‘crude sensationalism’.
So, do you think West was right to offer his resignation? Or was he making a big deal out of nothing?
And will you watch The Crown’s latest season?
Tell us your reactions and thoughts below!
Source: YouTube/Netflix
Perhaps one reason to tune in is for the intriguing drama that happens both on and the off-screen.
For example, did you know that one of The Crown’s actors was so worried about how his portrayal of Charles would be received by the royal family that he wrote a letter to King Charles III himself?
Yes, apparently English actor Dominic West was so concerned about how his take on Prince Charles during the breakdown of his marriage to Princess Diana would be perceived by actual royalty that he offered to resign from The Prince’s Trust charity – which he has been an ambassador for since 2015.
The Prince’s Trust was founded in 1976 by Charles himself to help people aged 11 to 30 get into jobs, education, and training regardless of background.
West portrays Prince Charles on The Crown. Credit: YouTube/Netflix
So as you can imagine, it probably wouldn’t look great if one of its representatives was playing a role depicting the monarch in a not-so-flattering light...on television...to millions of people around the world… we don't think we need to explain this any further!
Going back, West said he felt compelled to resign from his post over concerns his role in the Netflix series would pose conflicts with his duties.
And so, the 53-year-old actor sent a letter to the King. And the response he got?
Basically, he was told not to bother!
In an interview, the West said he received a rather blunt and relaxed reply from King Charles III’s press secretary telling him: ‘You do what you like, you’re an actor, it has nothing to do with us.’
West further thought that in declining his proposal to resign out of courtesy, perhaps the King wasn’t so concerned because he was in a position to spot the truth (and lies) in the semi-fictional show, The Crown.
The Netflix series’ 5th season, premiering on November 9, will cover a tumultuous part of the royal family’s history, including the breakdown of then-Prince Charles’ marriage to Princess Diana and his relationship with now-Queen Consort Camilla Parker-Bowles.
Source: YouTube/Entertainment Weekly
One particularly scandalous episode to come out of that era was Prince Charles’ infamous leaked phone call with Parker-Bowles which had sexually explicit content (to put it lightly).
West says his opinions of the scandal changed after The Crown, now thinking the exchange was ‘sweet’ rather than ‘filthy’.
‘My memory of it is that it was sort of filthy and dirty and really embarrassing, but actually, in the playing of it, it was much more like two middle-aged lovers being sweet to each other,’ he said.
‘If any one of us had our intimate phone conversations reproduced verbatim in every newspaper in the world, imagine what that’s like…how awful that is.’
He also says he now feels sympathetic towards King Charles III and the Queen Consort after their leaked conversation in 1993.
‘It was just an intensely personal conversation, and what was sordid was the prurient interest in it,’ he said.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana divorced in 1996. A year later in Paris, Princess Diana died in a tragic car accident.
West says he now feels some sympathy for the King and Queen Consort over their infamous leaked conversation. Credit: 7News
It’s fair to say that until now, many remain enamoured with this chapter of the royal family’s history, especially with Princess Diana’s enduring legacy.
If you have time, please check out other stories we have on The Crown, including criticism for covering an infamous interview of Diana’s for its new season and Dame Judi Dench’s displeasure at the show’s ‘crude sensationalism’.
So, do you think West was right to offer his resignation? Or was he making a big deal out of nothing?
And will you watch The Crown’s latest season?
Tell us your reactions and thoughts below!
Source: YouTube/Netflix
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