Prince William‘s “real thoughts” on Prince Harry‘s lucrative deal with Netflix have reportedly been laid bare by a friend of the heir to the throne.
The Duke of Sussex struck a multi-million dollar deal with the streaming giant in 2020 which has aired its docu-series Harry & Meghan and is readying the release of the final season of The Crown.
Harry has already made his feelings known about The Crown, one episode of which is said to include the ghost of Diana, Princess of Wales, telling Elizabeth II it might be time for her to learn in the wake of the car crash in Paris where she died in 1997.
William’s view of the royal blockbuster is less well known, although a friend of the prince is reported to have told The Daily Beast he is “sickened” by his mother appearing as a ghost.
The pal of William’s told the publication: “It’s incredibly hurtful to have his mother exploited over and over again in this tawdry fashion by Netflix. He won’t watch it, but he will be totally sickened by it.”
Asked if William would be angry with Harry for continuing to work with Netflix, the pal said the next in line to the throne is “angry about a lot of things” in connection with his brother.
They added: “His decision to work with Netflix, who have ruthlessly exploited the family, is certainly one of them.”
Netflix released a selection of images on Monday (October 16) which included a picture of Diana on a yacht belonging to business tycoon Mohamed Al Fayed.
The billionaire’s relationship with the Royal Family was depicted in season five of The Crown, with Al Fayed (Salim Daw) seen getting to know Diana, played by Elizabeth Debicki.
Al Fayed had invited Diana and her sons to holiday with him on the tycoon’s yacht alongside his film producer son Dodi (played by Khalid Abdalla) where they were followed by the paparazzi.
Harry made his view of The Crown clear during an appearance on The Late Late Show when he told then-presenter James Corden he felt more comfortable with the series’ fictionalised account of his family than press reports.
Royal commentator, Howard Hodgson, exclusively told Express.co.uk at the time: “Harry is recording double standards here. It doesn’t matter that The Crown is fictional as most people think it is accurate.”
Mr Hodgson also claimed that if he were in Harry’s shoes, he would have been “delighted to have taken such an opportunity as being on The Late Late Show to put people right”.
He added: “Instead, he brushes over it as fiction.”
Mr Hodgson accused Harry of showing a very different approach compared with his reaction to press coverage of his wife, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex.
The Duke has opposed negative coverage of Meghan from the early days of their relationship.
Netflix’s fifth season of The Crown proved controversial for its portrayals of senior royals, including Elizabeth II, compared to Princess Diana.
Royal commentator, Richard Fitzwilliams, told TalkTV in October last year: “Every single royal person apart from Diana in the last series was cold, nasty, duplicitous, adulterous or snobbish.”
Former Prime Minister, Sir John Major, was reported to have said of scenes from season five – which depicted King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, plotting to oust the Queen – as “malicious nonsense”.
The sixth series of the royal drama will be released in two parts with the first instalment of four episodes airing on November 16 and part two dropping on December 14.
