In the sixth season of The Crown which arrived on Netflix last week, the spotlight was on Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s relationship. Finally relieving herself of the British royal clan’s clutches, Diana’s character had rebounded straight into Fayed’s arms. While battling the emotional turmoil of her recent past, Elizabeth Debicki’s Diana was hurled into another series of controversies after barely recovering from her previous ones. Particularly when the most salacious of scandals emerged as the lovebirds were captured kissing on camera.  

So, is that what happened in the real-life version of the drama? The real story may shock you.

Mario Brenna unveils the reality of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s journey

When the princess and filmmaker entered an entanglement in the series, Dodi’s father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, was depicted as the one pulling the strings in their relationship. The scene that suggested this the most was when the character called the paparazzi on his son when the two were on a private yacht trip. However, Mario Brenna, who was responsible for their kissing shot told the New York Times that he disagrees with this narrative wholeheartedly. 

He clarified that it was not Dodi’s father who beckoned him to the Mediterranean Sea. According to him, these claims were “completely invented” since he was there of his own volition. The photographer had been in Sardinia at the time and happened upon the couple by a “stroke of luck”. Then he proceeded to stalk their boat for days. Ultimately, he managed to obtain the “historic” click that shook the world to its core. 

The show’s writers may have chosen to paint Dodi’s father as a villain to make the scene sensational. This was something that brought them criticism in the past, too. 

The criticism The Crown received in the past

When the fifth season of The Crown came out with a slightly adjusted cast, many fans were sad to have bid adieu to Emma Corrin as Diana. However, one thing that bothered them more was how certain aspects felt fabricated to demean the royal family. Not all audiences were pleased by the black-and-white depiction of Diana as ‘good’ and the senior royals as ‘bad’. So, now the Netflix series carries a ‘fictional and dramatized’ label with it.

The series writer and creator, Peter Morgan even defended himself against such allegations before the release of season six. Well, those criticisms seemed to have been addressed this season. Well, the royal family was also painted in a gray light along with Diana and Dodi, whose shortcomings were also highlighted. However, it looks like the creators may have turned on Dodi’s father to serve as the antagonist after taking that label off of the royals.

What do you think of the depiction of Diana and Dodi’s relationship in season six? Do you think The Crown wronged the latter’s father? Share your thoughts in the comments.