The Crown has once again proven controversial after releasing the first part of its final season, focusing on the relationship between Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed and featuring the two’s untimely death after being relentlessly followed by the paparazzi. But as the series features an engagement between the two, many question if the same thing happened in real life. Hence, many question the accuracy of this storyline, with one royal expert claiming the show should have a disclaimer for depicting fictional events as facts.
The Alleged Engagement Between Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed in The Crown
Netflix has divided The Crown Season 6 into two parts, and the first part, composed of four episodes, was released on November 16. After a year of waiting following the previous season’s release, many have waited to see the last few episodes of the series, especially the adaptation of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s car crash scene that took their lives in August 1997.
However, considering this is The Crown and each of its seasons doesn’t go by without stirring controversy, one of the intriguing moments it has featured is the engagement between the Princess of Wales and Mohamed l-Fayed’s son. So, were these two engaged in real life? This question was even asked after the couple’s untimely demise.
I know this scene was fiction but oh GOOD GOD they made me bawl so badly 😭 Dominic West & Elizabeth Debicki really ate this scene 👏🏼 #TheCrown #TheCrown6 pic.twitter.com/ev2lettLcm
— 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚢 ✨ (@amoremoondizis) November 16, 2023
Warning: Major spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk.
In the final season’s first part, Dodi was seen proposing to Princess Diana in Paris hours before the tragic car crash. However, the People’s Princess refused, claiming she wasn’t ready yet. At the time, she and Prince Charles had been divorced for a year, though five years separated.
So, does this mean they weren’t engaged? Did the Egyptian film producer even try to propose?
A Look into Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s Engagement
The Crown Season 6 showed Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed going to a jewelry store in Monte Carlo while hiding out from the photographers. In real life, Dodi indeed purchased a diamond ring, though in Paris, and for about $14,000. So, was it an engagement ring?
Richard Kay, a senior Daily Mail journalist known for being close to Princess Diana, confirmed (via People) that the band was an engagement ring. However, it wasn’t “particularly expensive” for a man like him. “Something a let-down for such a big spender,” he said.
https://twitter.com/meltalking/status/1725157925675540509
In the inquest into Princess Diana’s death, Dodi’s butler, Rene Delorm, claimed that he was asked to prepare “champagne on ice” when his boss and lady love returned to the apartment that fateful evening, seemingly hinting at doing something special. Sadly, that didn’t happen.
This only shows that the alleged engagement between Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed didn’t happen when they left The Ritz hotel and were later pursued by the paparazzi.
A Call Out for The Crown to Feature a Disclaimer
Once again, The Crown was called out to feature a disclaimer by royal expert Katie Nicholl, asking Netflix to do it. This isn’t the first time a disclaimer has been requested, as the show has faced several criticisms for its depiction of the royal family.
The Crown is a fictional drama series based on the lives of British royals, and many royal experts claim that some scenes in the show are “inaccurate” and “not true to the royal history.”
The final season of ‘The Crown’ Part 1 is now streaming on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/pHmit0YxXS
— Pop Base (@PopBase) November 16, 2023
“There is a tension that runs throughout because you know what’s going to happen,” Nicholl said about the final season via GBNews. “And I think this is a story that we all know so well, and I think in many ways this will probably be the most compelling of all series.”
Nicholl continued that the new generation might believe everything they would see in the series was a “very accurate depiction” of what happened, citing Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s engagement as an example. She said this event was presented as fact, though no one knew if that happened.
“There was always a rumor,” she continued. “It was speculated upon, but we don’t know as fact; in The Crown, it’s a fact. So just watch it, enjoy it, know it’s a drama.”
But despite the inaccuracies, Nicholl stressed that the series still had no disclaimer at the program’s start, which was needed to make things clear.
"love you "I love you,
mummy" wombat" #thecrown6 #thecrown
the crown diana and william pic.twitter.com/u3TgvAOpPU— sam (@bearssegi) November 16, 2023
The Crown has claimed time and over again that it’s a fictional drama inspired by the royal family. However, knowing that the royals themselves are controversial, it can’t be helped that the same thing can happen about a show with this theme. The series has deeply dived into the lives of the royals, led by Queen Elizabeth, from the controversies to their triumphs and more, gaining reactions from politicians and royal experts alike.
But despite the complaints, it can’t be denied that the series has remained one of the most favorite shows on Netflix. These controversies even help the show to gain more attention, piquing the interest of many. As they say, bad or good publicity is still publicity.
