Prince Philip will be seen “pursuing an affair” in the new series of The Crown, it has been claimed.
The claims surfaced after Netflix reportedly considered delaying the new season’s release following the Queen‘s death and her funeral, which saw her reunited with her late husband.
However, the fifth season of the show will be released as planned on November 9.
Royal experts ‘infuriated’ by Prince Philip ‘affair’ storyline
The Crown season five allegedly includes scenes where Penny Knatchbull, now the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, and the late Prince Philip share some intimate moments.
Philip, played by Jonathan Pryce, has been previously depicted as a bit of a flirt.
The Sun claims that the pair touch hands while the Duke of Edinburgh discloses private details of his marriage to Queen Elizabeth II.
This is very distasteful and, quite frankly, cruel rubbish.
Philip will teach Penny, played by Natascha McElhone, carriage riding in one scene.
It’s claimed: “Viewers will see the Duke of Edinburgh pursuing an affair with high society beauty Penny.”
Some believe the plotline is in bad taste as the Queen was only laid to rest beside her late husband weeks ago.
Her Majesty’s former press secretary Dickie Arbiter said: “Coming just weeks after the nation laid Her Majesty to rest next to Prince Philip, this is very distasteful and, quite frankly, cruel rubbish.
“The truth is that Penny was a long-time friend of the whole family.
“Netflix are not interested in people’s feelings.”
‘Bad taste’
Majesty Magazine editor Ingrid Seward expressed: “It’s in exceedingly bad taste. This is fiction. There’s no way in a million years he’d discuss his marriage with anybody.
“The Royals probably won’t watch it for their own sanity.”
Entertainment Daily reached out to Netflix, but a rep declined to comment.
Public reaction
Fans of the show and fans of the Royal Family took to social media to share their opinions on the controversial plotline.
One person said: “To be fair, Netflix did not know she was going pass, and that family were no strangers to affairs.”
“Netflix portraying Prince Phillip having an affair. This is absolute fiction and in obscenely poor taste, given both his and the Queen’s recent passing. You’re trash-mongerers,” said another.
A third said: “Please remember that nobody witnessed these supposed conversations. The Crown is fiction loosely based on some facts, it’s not a documentary!”
“I think this cruel and hurtful fiction tell us all we need to know about Netflix,” another slammed.
“Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are actively selling their private lives to @netflix while it prepares to air salacious claims about Prince Philip – ones he can no longer reply to. Deeply shocking, but not surprising,” another said.
However, one user simply wrote: “There are far worse scandals #TheCrown could cover.”
Read more: Stacey Solomon backs her comments on the Queen and asks for ‘opt-out policy’ on funding monarchy
The Crown Season 5 is available on Netflix on November 9.
Will you still be watching the latest season of The Crown? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix, and let us know!