5 Times Netflix's 'The Crown' Missed the Mark in Depicting Prince Harry Accurately
Here Are Five Things The Crown Got Wrong About Prince Harry
The Crown's latest season traded depth for drama, leaving history behind for shallow sensationalism. Comparing Diana's legacy to the Sussexes felt off and very wrong. The show's blunt approach cost it its soul, it lost the depth and favored drama instead. The show gave so much relevance to the 2020s drama that it felt it widely overlooked the 90s. It brushed off big moments like 9/11 and the Iraq war. Harry got sidelined, making him seem like an afterthought, just the Half-Baked Prince. The show chased popularity at the expense of its honesty, leaving viewers wanting the deep storytelling they expected.
1. Wrong Casting Choices
Luther Ford, the actor who played Prince Harry said in an interview that his mother didn't think he could get the part anyway because she thought he had no similarity of looks with Junior Harry, as per the Independent. However, she was right he got the part anyway. We can clearly see there aren't any physical similarities between the two. We can only count on their similar vivid red hair. Harry's portrayal is flat, just a grumpy teenager with no real story. He pops up, says some stuff, then disappears again. It's a shame they don't show his true depth or the British public's love for him. His struggles are only hinted at through Prince William.
2. He Also Had a Girlfriend Then
In real life, he had Chelsy Davy in his life. The absence of Chelsy, Harry's longtime girlfriend whom he began dating in early 2004, is visible in season six. Instead, Harry is portrayed as the jealous, irresponsible brother who makes fun of his elder brother's new relationship with Kate after giving William a condom before he leaves for college in front of the entire family. The story portrays Harry as a loveless outlaw with nothing at all going for him by leaving Chelsy out.
3. Struggle with Mother's Death
In the part where Prince Harry was supposed to have the center stage, such as his participation in the Met Police's investigation into Princess Diana's passing, his presence was totally ignored. It was clearly evident that the show made Harry look like a side character. The absence of Harry's suffering in the show erases his experiences. It somehow gave the impression that William was the only one who suffered from her passing. In actuality, Prince Harry struggled with the rumors and conspiracies surrounding his mother's passing, to the point that he thought she had staged the tragic accident to divert attention from the media, as per ABC News. He's talked extensively about how it affected his mental health and how his family handled it.
4. The Nazi Costume Incident
Back in 2005, Harry caused quite a stir by wearing a swastika armband to a themed party thrown by his friend Richard Meade. It was a major faux pas that got everyone talking and questioned the royal family's handling of the situation. Now, with the episode aired on The Crown, the controversy reignited. Some say it's out of place and lacking context. The show briefly mentions Prince Philip's reaction but overlooks Prince Harry's response. The real question is: what about Harry's efforts to make amends after the incident? Visits to a Holocaust survivor and the chief rabbi in London could've added depth to his journey of remorse and growth, but alas, that part's left out.
5. Wills and Kate ‘Egging Him On’
The actual Duke of Sussex discussed the issue in his memoir, Spare, as per Vogue, and in his and Meghan's six-part Netflix documentary earlier this year. However, The Crown appears to downplay the historic wardrobe disaster and shift the responsibility onto the heir apparent and his current wife. Even though Harry views the decision as one of his "biggest mistakes," he also feels his brother supported him, saying in the book that he "phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought." He states that they not only told him to put on the Nazi uniform but that they both "howled" over the choice.
