Former Prime Minister Sir John Major has blasted Netflix's The Crown as "a barrel-load of nonsense". He has taken exception to the show's depiction of King Charles, the former Prince of Wales, speaking to the then Prime Minister about a bid to replace the Queen in the 1990s, the Express reports.
The show has sparked recent controversy over the accuracy of its presentation of events. It has been reported that future episodes will show Charles attempting to ensure he takes over the throne from his mother, who at the time was 65.
The Mail on Sunday suggests the programme will show the future King believing his mother to be making the 'same mistake' as Queen Victoria, by continuing her reign instead of allowing a younger heir to take over.
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A spokesperson for Sir John told the publication: "Sir John has not co-operated in any way with The Crown. Nor has he ever been approached by them to fact-check any script material in this or any other series."
They continued: "There was never any discussion between Sir John and the then Prince of Wales about any possible abdication of the late Queen Elizabeth II."
The spokesperson said that if the scenes were broadcast, "they should be seen as nothing more than damaging and malicious fiction. A barrel-load of nonsense peddled for no other reason than to provide maximum - and entirely false - dramatic impact."
A spokesperson for The Crown said: "The Crown has always been presented as a drama based on historical events. Series five is a fictional dramatisation, imagining what could have happened behind closed doors during a significant decade for the royal family – one that has already been scrutinised and well documented by journalists, biographers and historians."
Audiences in Britain and around the world have been captivate by The Crown since it started on Netflix in 2016. But there has always been speculation as to whether or not the Royal Family appreciates it, as it hasn't shied away from the controversies surrounding the monarchy.
The show has explored the story of the family since the marriage of the late Queen Elizabeth to Prince Phillip in 1947. It been criticised in the past for including some dramatised scenes not wholly based on reality.
As the 1990s was a controversial time for the Royal Family, the upcoming series looking at the decade is expected to be contentious.
It was announced recently that the show will explore Princess Diana's treatment ahead of her famous interview with the BBC's Martin Bashir. There has been huge controversy in recent years over the way Mr Bashir obtained the interview, in which Diana discussed the breakdown of her marriage to Prince Charles.
Series five of The Crown is set to launch on Netflix on November 9.
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