‘Her casket was closed!’ Princess Diana’s former chef blasts The Crown’s ‘sick’ decision to show late royal’s body lying in open coffin in upcoming series
Princess Diana’s former chef has blasted The Crown’s ‘sick’ decision to show the late royal lying in an open casket coffin in the upcoming series.
Darren McGrady – who worked as a personal chef for members of the Royal Family between 1982 and 1993 – has expressed his disgust over how Netflix is reported to portray Diana’s death.
According to The Sun, the sixth season will show medics covered in blood trying to save Diana – played by Elizabeth Debicki – following a car crash in Paris in August 1997.
The episode will also recreate the moment King Charles went to his identify late wife’s body in a French hospital and shows Diana in an open casket.
Elizabeth Debicki (pictured in character) is playing Diana in the final series of The Crown.
For the public showings and her state funeral in September 1997, Princess Diana’s coffin remained closed and was covered in a royal standard flag.
Expressing his outrage on Twitter, Darren wrote: ‘Princess Diana’s casket was closed when she laid in rest at the Chapel Royal, St James Palace.
‘I know, I was there. This latest from The Crown is sick!’
The publication reports that the decision to show Diana in a coffin upset crew members working on the hit Netflix series.
Princess Diana pictured two months before her tragic death in a car crash in June 1997
The royal’s former chef has labelled The Crown ‘sick’ for showing the royal lying in a coffin
One said: ‘They actually made Elizabeth climb into a coffin and play dead as Diana. Viewers will see a French priest administering the last rites for Diana as she is pronounced deceased.’
‘Prince Charles enters the room and is in floods of tears. In his hysteria he notices that Diana is missing an earring. It is all he can focus on as grief envelops him.’
They added: ‘Princes William and Harry never saw their mother dead in a coffin and they shouldn’t have to watch this. Nor should the British public.’
Crew members are said to be concerned the scriptwriters and producers went over the top chasing ratings.
A member of the crew said Prince William and Prince Harry ‘shouldn’t have to see’ the dramatisation of their mother’s death. Pictured at Diana’s funeral in September 1997
Diana’s personal chef Darren McGrady (pictured) expressed his outrage on Twitter
Another crew member said: ‘Everyone was very uncomfortable doing the shoot. It is obscene and should be banned from broadcast.’
Netflix has insisted the ‘exact moment’ of the crash will not feature in the controversial drama, which has recently come under fire for sensationalism and inaccuracy.
A friend of Diana’s said the show’s makers could face accusations of ‘insensitivity’ over the filming in Paris. Debbie Frank, who was Diana’s astrologer, said it would be ‘terrible’ for Princes William and Harry to see a recreation of the moments leading up to their mother’s death.
‘It’s obviously terrible for Diana’s children to have to see that again. It’s insensitive,’ she said.
She added: ‘I feel Diana’s death and the crash was the biggest shock our generation. It had such a huge impact across the national psyche.
‘I guess the makers of The Crown feel they are entitled to show a re-enactment of scenes leading up to her death and that it has dramatic impact. But relatives would think otherwise.’
Ken Wharfe, Diana’s former bodyguard, told The Sun that William will find the scenes ‘repulsive’ and Charles will be ‘appalled’.
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Elizabeth Debicki mirrors Princess Diana being swarmed by paparazzi alongside Dodi Fayed in their final hours while filming season six of The Crown in London