The first part of The Crown Season 6 is now out on Netflix. As you’re watching the historical drama, you might be wondering: How much is The Crown Season 6 accurate? We’ve fact-checked a few scenes to compare what was depicted on screen verses what actually happened in real life.
The acclaimed Netflix show follows the inner workings of the British royal family with a focus on the life of Queen Elizabeth II. Since 2016, The Crown has explored different periods in the monarch’s life, starting with her coronation in 1953. The final installment is also expected to touch on William and Kate’s courtship at The University of Saint Andrews and the deaths of Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (the official plot for Part 2 is still under wraps). The remaining episodes will premiere on December 14.
In the first four episodes, the storyline focuses on Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki)’s life after her divorce from Prince Charles (Dominic West), as well as her brief relationship with Dodi Fayed (Khalid Abdalla), who died with her in a car crash in Paris in August 1997. We also see Prince Charles’ post-divorce relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles and his attempts to have her accepted by the Queen and British society as large.
While watching Diana’s final moments, you’ll likely have a long list of questions about The Crown’s accuracy, including whether Dodi really did propose the day of their deathly crash and whether Dodi’s father Mohamed (Salim Daw) tipped the paparazzi about the couple’s whereabouts in Monte Carlo. Let’s dive in.
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Did Mohamed Al-Fayed tell the paparazzi to take photos of Diana and Dodi kissing?
Image Credit: Courtesy of Netflix Did Mohamed Al-Fayed tell the paparazzi to take photos of Diana and Dodi kissing? There’s no evidence that Al-Fayed leaked Dodi and Diana’s location to Italian paparazzi photographer Mario Brenna. Brenna, who took the infamous photos in Monte Carlo, recently told the New York Times that the idea that Mohamed hired him was “absurd and completely invented.”
The Independent reported at the time that Brenna “happened to spot the Fayed boat, Jonikal, as he was in the area on other photographic assignments.” Brenna and his partner made more than $2 million by selling the photos.
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Did Dodi propose to Diana in Paris on the day of the crash?
Image Credit: Getty Images Did Dodi propose to Diana in Paris on the day of the crash? We’re not completely sure, but it’s said that Dodi did purchase a diamond ring. In the Netflix series, Dodi makes a stop to buy an engagement ring in Paris on the same day of the car accident. In the series, she turns down his proposal. “Stop—I can’t bear it. This is madness,” she tells him. “Please get up.”
In real life, it is speculated that Dodi did purchase a diamond ring, but the true significance of the sparkler is unknown. According to the BBC’s report of the princess’ final evening, “Dodi Fayed took delivery of a £130,000 diamond solitaire ring which he had ordered 10 days earlier from one of the most exclusive jewellers in the district, Alberto Repossi.”
Dodi’s father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, claimed that the two called him to announce the news before their deaths. Although The Guardian reported that the billionaire seemed unclear about “whether he had been told his son was about to propose, or that Dodi had done so and Diana had accepted.”
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Did Prince Charles throw Camilla a birthday party to shift public perception?
Image Credit: Courtesy of Netflix Did Prince Charles throw Camilla a birthday party to shift public perception? The answer is yes! After Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s divorce was finalized, the future king threw his now-wife a 50th birthday celebration.
The Guardian penned at the time that “Prince Charles put his relationship with his lover Camilla Parker Bowles on a public footing last night when he threw a lavish party to celebrate her 50th birthday at his mansion in Gloucestershire.”
The publication also noted that the event was “interpreted as an attempt to bring their relationship into the open.” About 80 friends were invited to the banquet, which is said to have been the first joint occasion for the couple.
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Did Prince William run away after hearing about Diana’s death?
Image Credit: Courtesy of Netflix Did Prince William run away after hearing about Diana’s death? In Season 6, episode 4, Prince Charles breaks the news to his sons about their mother’s passing. Prince Charles is later notified that “Prince William is not in his room, and no one can find him.”
When Prince Harry discovers that his brother’s coat is missing, the royals believe he must be outside. What follows is an extensive search on the grounds around Balmoral with Princess Anne, Prince Charles and more. Thankfully, Prince William returned 14 hours later unharmed, but did he really go missing?
The scene is likely exaggerated. Prince William previously spoke about how he coped with his mother’s death at Balmoral Castle in the documentary, Diana, 7 Days. “I remember just feeling completely numb, disorientated, dizzy,” William said. “You feel very, very confused. And you keep asking yourself, ‘Why me?’ All the time, ‘Why? What have I done? Why? Why has this happened to us?’”
In 2021, Prince William also reiterated that spent a lot of time outside in Scotland in the “dark days” of grieving. “I was in Balmoral when I was told that my mother had died. Still in shock, I found sanctuary in the service at Crathie Kirk that very morning and in the dark days of grief that followed I found comfort and solace in the Scottish outdoors,” he said in an emotional speech at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. “As a result, the connection I feel to Scotland will forever run deep.”