Apart from being critically acclaimed, The Crown is also one of the most popular shows on Netflix. With a world obsessed with the British Royal Family, it is hardly a surprise that the dramatic retelling of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign has such a massive fan following. On the flip side, the show has also garnered its fair share of controversies ever since its first season.

However, season 5 is speculated to be the most controversial one so far. Even before its official release, the Netflix series is the receiving end of a massive backlash from former Prime Minister John Major and Sir Tony Blair. In the aftermath, actress Elizabeth Debicki, who embodies Princess Diana, on screen, came to the show’s defense.

Elizabeth Debicki defends The Crown amid heavy criticisms

Recently, the former Prime Minister, Sir John Major, completely condemned the newest season of The Crown. One particular scene ticked off Sir John as he called it a “barrel load of malicious nonsense.” Apparently, in one of the episodes, Prince Charles portrayed by Dominic West conspires to abdicate Queen Elizabeth. He allegedly cuts his vacation with Diana short and calls for a confidential meeting in Highgrove.

Sir John, who was the acting Prime Minister at the time, claims that this never happened. Referring to the Queen’s recent demise, he addressed the retelling as “very painful for a grieving family.” Moreover, even Sir Tony Blair detests his portrayal on the show. Following Sir Tony’s swearing-in as the Prime Minister in 1997, Charles allegedly tries to form an alliance with him in order to shield his future and marry Camilla. After Netflix advocated for its show, actress Elizabeth Debicki also sided with the content.

“It is clearly fictional. I feel like audiences know that, because there are actors, playing parts. I never watched The Crown and thought, this is a documentary, or this is obviously true,” said Debicki in an interview with The Guardian.

When asked if she felt defensive after the severe lambast, the Australian actress replied with a negative. She further explained how she understood the beats of The Crown and what it attempts to portray. Having said that, she even claimed to “understand the reaction to it.” Since this storyline has been retold multiple times, Debicki acknowledges people delve into this narrative with a “degree of care and respect.”

What are your thoughts about the backlash and Elizabeth Debicki’s justifications? Let us know in the comments. The Crown season 5 will premiere on November 9. Meanwhile, you can rewatch the previous seasons streaming on Netflix.