Helena Bonham Carter adds her voice to calls for Netflix’s The Crown to carry a fiction “warning”
The actress says “it’s our duty” to tell viewers the show is fiction
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Helena Bonham Carter has received praise from fans for her portrayal of Princess Margaret in Netflix’s The Crown.
- Helena Bonham Carter who plays Princess Margaret in The Crown (opens in new tab)has suggested she too believes the Netflix show should carry a "warning".
- The star suggests it has a "moral duty" to remind viewers it's a fictional drama.
- In other Royal News (opens in new tab), it's been revealed why Prince Edward and Sophie of Wessex are the Queen's favourites (opens in new tab).
Joining the cast in Season 4, Bonham Carter took over the role of the Queen’s sister (opens in new tab)from Vanessa Kirby. Yet now she has added her voice to those calling for the show to have some kind of “warning” for viewers letting them know it’s fictional.
This comes after several other high-profile figures including Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer have revealed concerns that some viewers aren't separating the fact from the fiction.
What has Helena Bonham Carter said about The Crown?
Speaking on The Crown: The Official Podcast, Helena Bonham Carter reportedly revealed her strong feelings about the matter of making the show’s fictional nature clear.
She said: “I do feel very strongly because I think we have a moral responsibility to say ‘Hang on, guys...this is not drama doc, we’re making a drama.” Bonham Carter then stressed: “They are different entities.”
The Crown’s star then suggested there must be a separation “between our version” and the "real version”.
Who else has called for The Crown to have some kind of “warning”?
The 54-year-old acclaimed actor is not alone in believing there should be greater clarity for viewers between fact and fiction (opens in new tab) in the drama series.
Helena Bonham Carter’s statement seems to support the suggestion made by Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer that The Crown should have a “warning” (opens in new tab).
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During an appearance on ITV’s Lorraine show he said: "I think it would help The Crown an enormous amount if – at the beginning of each episode – it stated that: 'This isn't true, but it is based around some real events'.
His concern is reportedly shared by Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden who is expected to make a formal request to Netflix that a "warning" making clear the fictional nature of the show is added in at the beginning of each episode.
Why are some people calling for The Crown to have a warning?
The concerns of Earl Spencer, Oliver Dowden and Helena Bonham Carter have been voiced amidst worries that viewers might take everything they see on The Crown as fact (opens in new tab).
Earl Spencer revealed to Lorraine: “I worry people do think that this is gospel, and that's unfair.”
This certainly seems to be the case for some. Last week the official Clarence House twitter account turned off comments on recent posts after Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall was targeted by online trolls (opens in new tab).
A post shared by Clarence House (@clarencehouse) (opens in new tab)
A photo posted by on
They seem to have believed that the “affair” between Camilla and Prince Charles shown in The Crown actually happened.
The Royal Family themselves have never spoken out officially about The Crown. Though with more and more viewers questioning whether The Crown is accurate, it may be that Season 5 might end up carrying some kind of “warning” about it’s fictional nature after all.
The Crown Season 4 is available to stream on Netflix now.
Emma is a Senior Lifestyle Writer with six years of experience working in digital publishing. Her specialist areas including literature, the British Royal Family and knowing all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and every streaming service out there. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, you can find Emma cooking and watching yet more crime dramas.
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