‘Upset’ Philip spoke to lawyers over the Crown plot, claims expert

A royal historian said Philip was so deeply ‘hurt and upset’ over his portrayal (Image: Getty)Prince Philip, who died in April last year aged 99, spoke with royal lawyers over the characterisation of him after a plot line in the Netflix series blamed him for the death of his sister, Princess Cecilie. Royal historian Hugo Vickers said Prince Philip was so deeply ‘hurt and upset’ by his portrayal, he asked legal experts what he could do about The Crown’s cruel fictional depiction of him.Mr Vickers said: ‘I know Prince Philip consulted his lawyer about it, to ask ‘What can I do about it?’ He was very upset about the way that was portrayed. He was human. He could be hurt like anybody else.’The penultimate episode of the second series of The Crown, which aired in 2017, depicts a young Philip at his boarding school Gordonstoun, in Scotland – the same school that his own son Prince Charles later attended.The 16-year-old Philip gets into trouble at the school and is subsequently told he is not allowed to return home to Germany for the half-term break.Cecilie, who is heavily pregnant with her fourth child at the time, blames Philip for being forced to fly to London as a result of his trouble.In The Crown’s portrayal of Cecilie’s funeral, which aired without a fictional disclaimer, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, Philip’s father, says: ‘I’m surprised he dare show himself here.’Had it not been for Philip and his indiscipline she would never have taken that flight. It’s true, isn’t it boy? You’re the reason we’re all here burying my favourite child. Get him out of here.’Despite the show’s fictional and hurtful depiction, Cecilie’s reason for travelling to London had nothing to do with Philip and the siblings were incredibly close to one another before her death.In reality Cecilie, 26, died in a plane crash in 1937 along with her husband Georg Donatus, their two young sons Ludwig, aged six, four year-old Alexander and their unnamed newborn baby born during the flight.They were flying to the wedding of Georg’s brother Louis to Margaret Campbell Geddes. Cecilie went into labour during the flight before their plane crashed into a factory chimney in Ostend, Belgium as it tried to land in thick fog.Cecilie and the baby’s body were found beside one another in the wreckage, alongside Georg, Ludwig and Alexander.The wedding took place the day after the plane crash despite the tragedy, with Louis succeeding his older brother to the title of Prince of Hesse and adopting Cecilie and Georg’s surviving daughter Johanna, who stayed at home due to her young age.Her death deeply affected Prince Philip and in later life he recalled being summoned to his headmaster’s study and informed of her death: ‘I have the very clearest recollection of the profound shock with which I heard the news of the crash and the death of my sister and her family.’While staying with the Queen and Philip, a close friend of the royal family said he had expressed anger at his portrayal. ‘I remember sitting next to the Duke of Edinburgh at a dinner, and him being so upset about it and what it [The Crown] was saying about him.’Vickers, the author of The Crown Dissected, which sets out errors in the series, said: ‘[Philip] was not displeased when I put the record straight.’It is reported that heartbroken Prince Philip chose not to pursue legal action and the long-held royal mantra of ‘never complain, never explain’ prevailed.In recent weeks Netflix has been bombarded with criticised for their fictional portrayals of sensitive moments on our Royal Family’s history – with many conversations and scenes completely ‘imagined’ by scriptwriters.Netflix has so far refused to add an official disclaimer on the screen clearly stating that the scenes are not fact but fiction – although recently placed one below the screen on new trailers on YouTube.The Prince of Wales believes the show is ‘damaging’ to the royal family, according to a close friend.It is understood that as The Crown series creep closer to modern day, William’s concerns over its influence is growing.A friend told a Sunday paper: ‘He has spoken about it, and now, as it is coming closer to the present, he is particularly concerned about it. William does think it is damaging. The royal family know a lot of it is nonsense, but it is really harsh and hurtful.’The new fifth season, airing on November 9, has sparked fury from high-profile figures including actress Dame Judi Dench and ex-Prime Minister Sir John Major, with Dame Judi blasting Netflix for ‘crude sensationalism’.The new series also shows Charles lobbying John Major in a bizarre attempt to force his mother’s abdication – with furious Sir John stressing this meeting never happened and branding the show a ‘barrel load of malicious nonsense’.The Crown also falsely portrays Prince Philip (played by Welsh actor Jonathan Pryce) ‘pursuing an affair’ with his close friend Penny Knatchbull 30 years his junior – played by English star Natascha McElhone.