The Crown’s Charles: 7 Shocking Truths And King Charles III's Secret Reaction To The Final Seasons
The Netflix series *The Crown* has concluded its monumental run, but the intense scrutiny on its portrayal of Prince Charles—now King Charles III—remains a hot topic in the royal and entertainment worlds. As of late 2025, the debate surrounding the final seasons (5 and 6) centers on the show’s shift in narrative, moving from a deeply sympathetic view of Princess Diana to a more nuanced, and some argue, overly sympathetic depiction of the future King. The show’s handling of the most sensitive, and at times scandalous, chapters of his life—from the explosive "Tampongate" tapes to the immediate aftermath of Princess Diana’s death—has prompted both critical acclaim and significant controversy, with reports of the King himself having stopped watching the series.
The transition from the younger, frustrated Prince Charles of the 1970s and 80s, played by Josh O’Connor, to the older, more embattled figure of the 1990s and 2000s, played by Dominic West, marks the dramatic core of the show’s later seasons. These seasons tackle the most painful and publicly scrutinized moments of his life, demanding a fresh look at the historical accuracy and the dramatic license taken by creator Peter Morgan. The ultimate question remains: did *The Crown* redeem the former Prince of Wales, or did it simply reignite old wounds?
The Two Princes: Comprehensive Biography of the Actors Who Played Charles
The role of Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, was arguably the most challenging in *The Crown*, requiring two distinct actors to capture his evolution from a young, stifled heir to a man caught in a public relations storm. Both Josh O’Connor and Dominic West brought unique gravitas to the part, earning significant recognition for their work.
Josh O’Connor (The Younger Charles: Seasons 3 & 4)
- Full Name: Joshua Mathias O'Connor
- Born: May 20, 1990 (Southampton, England)
- Education: Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (Graduated 2011)
- Key Roles Before *The Crown*: Johnny Saxby in *God's Own Country* (2017), Larry Durrell in the ITV series *The Durrells* (2016–2019).
- Major Awards for *The Crown*:
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (2021)
- British Academy Television Award (BAFTA) for Best Leading Actor (2021)
- Portrayal Focus: O’Connor’s performance focused on Charles’s profound sense of duty, his stifled emotional life, and his unhappy marriage to Princess Diana, often portraying him as a victim of the system.
Dominic West (The Older Charles: Seasons 5 & 6)
- Full Name: Dominic Gerard Francis Eagleton West
- Born: October 15, 1969 (Sheffield, England)
- Education: Eton College, Trinity College Dublin, Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
- Key Roles Before *The Crown*: Detective Jimmy McNulty in the critically acclaimed HBO series *The Wire* (2002–2008), Noah Solloway in *The Affair* (2014–2019), Hector Madden in the BBC series *The Hour* (Golden Globe nominated).
- Portrayal Focus: West took on the challenge of portraying Charles during his most controversial years, dealing with the separation from Diana, the "Tampongate" scandal, and the fallout from Diana’s death. His performance often highlighted Charles’s ambition and his struggle for public acceptance.
7 Shocking and Controversial Truths Portrayed in The Crown
The final two seasons of *The Crown* dove headfirst into the most explosive and sensitive periods of the former Prince of Wales’s life. The narrative choices made by Peter Morgan were not just dramatic; they were a direct challenge to the monarchy's carefully managed image.
1. The "Queen Victoria Syndrome" Plot
The premiere of Season 5, titled "Queen Victoria Syndrome," instantly set a controversial tone. The shocking truth the show depicted was Prince Charles’s (Dominic West) secret meeting with then-Prime Minister John Major to discuss the possibility of Queen Elizabeth II’s abdication. The episode suggested Charles was actively lobbying for his mother to step aside, citing her advanced age and the need for a more modern monarchy. While Major publicly denied the meeting ever took place, the storyline fueled the long-standing rumor of Charles’s impatience to become King.
2. The Explicit "Tampongate" Re-enactment
One of the most anticipated and sensitive storylines was the infamous 1993 leak of a private, intimate phone call between Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, known globally as "Tampongate." The shocking truth is that *The Crown* Season 5 did recreate this explicit conversation, albeit only referencing the most notorious lines. The inclusion of this moment was a major point of contention, as it forced a global audience to relive a deeply embarrassing and private moment that nearly jeopardized Charles's claim to the throne.
3. The "Broken Marriage" TV Interview
In 1994, Prince Charles gave a televised interview to Jonathan Dimbleby, a moment re-enacted in the series. The shocking truth is that during this interview, Charles publicly admitted to adultery, stating that he had been faithful to Princess Diana "until it became clear that the marriage had broken down irretrievably". *The Crown* used this pivotal moment to show Charles’s attempt to control the narrative, which ultimately backfired and only intensified public sympathy for Diana.
4. The Alleged "Whitewashing" of Charles in Season 6
Following the public outpouring of grief for Princess Diana after her death in 1997, Prince Charles was heavily criticized for his public reaction and his treatment of Diana. The shocking truth in Season 6 is the show’s controversial choice to portray Charles in a highly sympathetic light immediately after the tragedy. While historically, there was public "hatred and dislike" towards him, *The Crown* showed him as a devastated father and a man who genuinely tried to comfort his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Critics argued this was an attempt to "whitewash" his historical public image.
5. The Queen's Public Scorn
The series consistently portrays the deep, often cold, distance between Prince Charles and his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The shocking truth highlighted in the later seasons is the Queen’s (Imelda Staunton) palpable disappointment and scorn for Charles’s actions, particularly his public maneuvering against her and the scandals he created. The show emphasizes that Charles's actions were seen as a threat to the stability of the monarchy, leading to a long-term strain on their relationship.
6. Camilla’s Role as a Peacemaker
A notable narrative choice in Season 6 was the portrayal of Camilla Parker Bowles (Olivia Williams) as a figure of emotional stability and wisdom for Charles. The shocking truth here is the specific scene where Camilla encourages Charles to be a better father to his grieving sons. This depiction was criticized for being biased, suggesting the show was deliberately trying to soften Camilla’s image and reposition her as a positive influence in the royal family’s life, perhaps in anticipation of her role as Queen Consort.
7. King Charles III Stopped Watching
Perhaps the most current and personal truth is the King's reaction to the show itself. The shocking truth is that sources close to King Charles III (formerly Prince Charles) have confirmed he stopped watching *The Crown* after the series began to depict the sensitive events of his relationship with Diana. Leading up to Season 5, reports suggested he was "panicked" that the show would overshadow the start of his reign by dredging up his past controversies. This personal decision underscores the profound, real-world impact the fictionalized drama has had on the actual monarch.
The Legacy of Charles in The Crown: From Villain to Victim?
The arc of Prince Charles in *The Crown* is one of the most complex and debated elements of the entire series. For four seasons, under the masterful performance of Josh O'Connor, Charles was often framed as a tragic figure—a man whose destiny was to wait, and whose true love (Camilla) was sacrificed for the sake of the Crown. This initial portrayal generated immense public sympathy and even earned O’Connor an Emmy Award.
However, when Dominic West took over for the final two seasons, the narrative shifted into the turbulent 1990s. This era demanded the depiction of a more aggressive, ambitious Charles, one who was willing to challenge his mother's authority and who was embroiled in the public's perception as the "other man" in the Diana tragedy. The inclusion of the "Tampongate" scandal and the "Queen Victoria Syndrome" plot cemented his position as a deeply flawed, yet human, character.
The final episodes of Season 6, particularly the handling of Diana’s death, attempted to re-contextualize Charles’s grief and his role as a father, moving him away from the public villain narrative and towards a more sympathetic victim of circumstance. This final pivot demonstrates Peter Morgan’s clear intention to conclude the story with a more forgiving look at the man who would eventually become King Charles III, leaving the audience to grapple with the blurred lines between historical record and dramatic interpretation.
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