David Farnor | On 10, Jan 2020

One of The Crown’s executive producers has said it’s unlikely that Netflix’s royal drama will ever cover the modern scandals surrounding the royal family.

The lavish drama, which charts the life and reign of Her Maj, has been a huge smash hit for the streaming giant, picking up awards and nominations galore. That’s partly tanks to the cast, with national treasure Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies taking over from Claire Foy and Matt Smith as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip for Season 3 – joined by Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret and Josh O’Connor as Prince Charles – and it’s partly thanks to the writing team led by Peter Morgan.

While Morgan has previously intimated that he meets with members of the royal household several times a year to outline his plans for the show, the Palace has categorically stated that it does not endorse the show and would never express a view about the programme’s accuracy. It is certainly hard to imagine them welcoming episodes about what has happened to the royal family in the past year, from Prince Andrew’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s statement that the Duke and Duchess would step back from the front line of the royal family and work to become financially independent.

Suzanne Mackie, an executive producer on The Crown says it’s unlikely the show will ever cover today’s big news about the royal family. Not because of any issues involving the subject matter, because she doubts the series will “ever go as far into the present day”.

Season 4 of the programme will take us into the 1980s, with a focus upon Prince Charles and Diana, but Mackie said in a recent interview: “I think we’ll probably – we won’t travel into the present day.”

The show’s makers are keeping an eye on current headlines, though, with the Prince Andrew interview with Newsnight host Emily Maitlis airing the weekend of a Season 3’s premiere.

“That was a particularly low point and it resonated for us in many ways,” she added, “but in terms of the huge public exposure of it, not great.”

Creator Peter Morgan has previously intimated that the show would never feature Meghan Markle, because it’s “too close to the moment”. Although, of course, if the show were to venture as far as her and Harry tying the knot, they would have an actress ready-made to play her.

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