HOW royally convenient. The real-life Crown is in the midst of its worst crisis in a generation, with storylines even the most creative Hollywood screenwriter would struggle to invent.
Prince Andrews unusually close friendship with a paedo sex trafficker has seen him fall foul of the FBI and forced to stand down as a working royal.
Prince Charles aides last year banned stars of Netflix drama The Crown from an event
The Crown in its third series has shown Prince Charles (played by Josh OConnor) in a more positive light
An American actress called Meghan Markle has created havoc inside the family and ended up fleeing for North America with embattled Prince Harry in tow.
Prince Charles is at war with his two sons and his Machiavellian staff have been doing all they can to discredit them.
A 98-year-old Prince Philip nearly killed himself and put two members of the public in hospital after a car accident last year. All while maintaining an unusually close bond with a much younger member of the aristocracy.
All brilliant fodder, one would think, for telly show The Crown. The global drama sensation was due to continue for three more series on Netflix, with the final instalment taking in the most current events of the monarchy.
But it all got too dramatic.
Last week, the shows writer Peter Morgan pulled the plug on the planned sixth series.
Imelda Staunton will still succeed Claire Foy and Olivia Colman as the Queen, but for just one final series that will see the narrative end around the time of her Golden Jubilee in 2002.
So what the heck happened to muzzle one of the most fearless writers and TV producers of his generation?
Well, I have some idea.
While neither side will admit exactly what went on, Morgan seems to have been put under pressure by courtiers at Buckingham Palace and Prince Charles court at Clarence House.
The Crown series six has been axed before getting to explore Prince Andrew’s friendship with paedo Epstein
The popular TV drama will also miss Meghan Markle entering the Royal Family and the events that led to Megxit
The Crown became more than just a TV drama. For the younger generation the show has become a window on the world to all sorts of historic real-life royal shenanigans theyd never heard about before.
And while Morgan admitted The Crown was dramatised, with some changes made to historic reality, most viewers treat the storylines as fact.
So, at some point, Morgan started communicating with the Queens courtiers a disastrous move for someone responsible for writing a TV show about the Royal Family.
Last year, he admitted he would meet with these officials who are very high-ranking and very active within the organisation four times a year to brief them on storylines.
COSY MEETINGS
Then Prince Charles upped the ante in his lobbying effort with Netflix which, like most American broadcasters, takes offending the royals very seriously.
When the company hosted a major premiere for a David Attenborough documentary last April, Charles, William and Harry agreed to attend, but on one condition: The cast of The Crown must be banned. It was clear the behind-the-scenes work put in by the Royal Family was starting to work.
Sure enough, in the most recent third series, Morgan rewrote history to portray a more positive impression of Prince Charles (played by Josh OConnor) and his relationship with now-wife Camilla.
An untrue storyline was created claiming the Queen Mother conspired with Lord Mountbatten to scupper the burgeoning romance, leaving Charles heartbroken.
Presumably the idea is that in the next series, viewers will have more sympathy for Charles when he starts his affair with Camilla mere months after his marriage to Princess Diana.
The Crown has been one of the best British dramas ever and I think it has a responsibility to reflect the truth of the Queens entire reign.
The fact Netflix and Morgan have completely bottled it over Prince Andrew and Megxit is deeply disappointing. Given the current war of the streaming giants, I hope theres a rival prepared to pick up the mantle with a new royal drama.
All we need is a writer who isnt interested in cosy meetings at Buckingham Palace or getting a knighthood one day.
Adele’s closed up
ADELE might be taking her lead from Cheryl Tweedy by never singing live again.
Although, unlike the former Girls Aloud member, that doesnt mean she is going to start relentlessly miming.
Instead, the Someone Like You superstar has sparked speculation that she wont be gigging after closing her tour company.
So the chances of seeing Adele, right, live again are a bit like her waistline these days increasingly slim.
High-stakes Cam
THE bodyguard of David Cameron left a gun and the former PMs passport in the toilet of a plane.
A shocking security breach, for sure.
But its been clear since he called the EU referendum that Cameron has an inclination for major risks.
Memory loss is king-size
CORRIE star Alison King has told friends shes mortified after drunkenly snogging her married co-star Mikey North at the National Television Awards, which she claims she cant remember.
Had the snog not been caught on video, the actress would have been confident enough in her memory to issue a firm denial though, that I can assure you.
Is Auntie for propaganda only?
MEMO to the holier-than-thou TV news producers at the BBC who refused to screen Boris Johnsons historic Brexit night address because their cameras hadnt captured the moment.
I hope you employ the same high ethical standards the next time a Labour leadership candidate makes a major announcement on a social media platform.
Like when Jess Phillips quit the race, for example.
Or when your beloved Prince Harry and Meghan release their latest royal propaganda speech on Instagram.
Nope, didnt think so.
Wootton’s week
