'Cruel for Harry and William': Paul Burrell blasts Netflix's ‘wounded victim’ portrayal of Diana

'Cruel for Harry and William': Paul Burrell blasts Netflix's ‘wounded victim’ portrayal of Diana
GB News
Georgia Pearce

By Georgia Pearce


Published: 17/11/2023

- 11:04

Updated: 17/11/2023

- 11:06

Paul Burrell called for Netflix to add a disclaimer to the program over inaccurate events

The Crown has been slammed by Princess Diana's close friend and former Butler Paul Burrell, following the release of the final season on Netflix.

The royal drama, which was first aired on the streaming platform in 2016, follows the British royal family throughout history, starting from Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne.


The final season follows Princess Diana and boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed, as they navigate their relationship and media attention.

It will portray the late Princess of Wales' final weeks before her death in a car crash in Paris, which also killed Al-Fayed.

Paul Burrell appears on GB News

Paul Burrell slammed The Crown for their portrayal of Princess Diana

GB News

The latest instalment of the series has received widespread criticism from royal experts, over their dramatisation of royal events and their inaccuracy in depicting the monarchy.

Speaking to GB News, Paul Burrell reacted to the sixth season and debunked inaccuracies which feature in the latest episodes.

Burrell told Patrick Christys that the season was "heartbreaking" to watch and "isn't factual".

Discussing a scene where Diana is seen attempting to call Prince William and Prince Harry from Paris, Burrell added: "All Diana wanted to do was get through to her children."

Burrell revealed: "She rang me from the yacht most days, and what she said to me was, I'm bored here. It's freezing cold in the air conditioning, it's roasting hot on deck, all I want to do is get home to my boys.

"I don't know whether that phone call actually happened. I know that Diana did speak to the boys before she died. I know she did, she told me because she rearranged her program.

He continued: "She said to me, I'm going to be a day late because Dodi has to do work for his father at the Ritz hotel in Paris.

"She didn't want to go to Paris, and that night she didn't want to go out. She was happy to stay in the Ritz. She didn't want all that fuss for the paparazzi, but somehow he persuaded her to go out."

The Crown

The Crown released its final season on Netflix on Thursday

Netflix

In criticism of Netflix, Burrell called for a "disclaimer" to be added to The Crown and slammed their portrayal of Diana's character, highlighting the absence of himself from the show.

Burrell fumed: "The Crown isn't factual. There should be a disclaimer across it saying these events may not have happened, which many of them didn't happen. They're only to drive the narrative and the character forward.

"I'm not there because if I had been there, Diana wouldn't have been perceived as a lonely, vulnerable woman who was creating this reckless situation around her. I would have been the stability in it."

He concluded: "So I couldn't have been there because Peter Morgan wouldn't have wanted that character any other way other than vulnerable and wounded and the victim, the way she was portrayed.

"I'm upset by it. I think it's cruel. It's cruel to Diana's memory. It's cruel for the boys to watch."

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