Prince Andrew in ‘The Crown’: How season 4 handles his scandals
Netflix’s beloved historical drama The Crown has rekindled the world’s fascination with the royal family. From beautiful costumes to engaging plotlines, the show has hailed glowing reviews by critics & fans alike.
The Crown contrives to bring out elements of development throughout the entire series while giving an authentic representation of what goes on in the British monarch’s life. The Crown premiered in 2016 and the latest season was released on Netflix earlier this month.
Although the backdrop of the latest installment was Prince Charles & Princess Diana’s doomed marriage, fans can’t stop talking about the formal introduction of Prince Andrew’s character. What’s to come for this controversial figure in the subsequent seasons, and was his portrayal in The Crown season 4 accurate? Let’s dive in.
Prince Andrew’s slew of scandals
Many scandals have plagued the royal family over the years. One of the most damning is sexual assault allegations against the former Duke of York, stemming from his association with the late pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein. Following the accusations, Prince Andrew appeared on a BBC television interview to deny all the allegations against him.
This misstep to win public support ironically resulted in a huge backlash, prompting the royal to step down from his duties. Naturally, fans were looking forward to seeing how The Crown’s showrunners would bring his shady character to life. Spoiler alert: the creators didn’t disappoint.
Prince Andrew’s depiction
Prince Andrew is formally introduced in season 4, episode 4, aptly called “Favourites”. Right off the bat, it becomes evident that Prince Andrew is the Queen’s favorite child. Despite being the star of his mother’s affections, his attitude & personality leave a lot to be desired.
The Duke of York is portrayed as a rude & obnoxious man with an entitled mindset. The show further hints at Prince Andrew’s repulsive behavior and blatant disregard for proper sexual conduct. This depiction seems like a disguised effort to characterize the recent controversies.
Queen’s continued affection
Prince Andrew’s infamous friendship with Epstein isn’t the only smear on his reputation, despite being the biggest to date. The long list of allegations against him includes spray painting reporters, acting rude to his staff, and casually using racial slurs, among other things.
The Crown depicts how Queen Elizabeth II possibly turned a blind eye to the appalling exploits of her son. As the show documents, Prince Andrew was born in a relatively peaceful period of the Queen’s life. Thus, she could dote on him more than her other children, making him her favorite, but also enabling his disgraceful antics.
After recent allegations of sexual misconduct came to light, the press speculated the Queen herself discharged Prince Andrew from his public duties. However, a few days after the Duke stepped down from his position, he was seen horseback riding with his mother. Therefore, it seems like Andrew will remain the apple of his mother’s eye, albeit his growing list of allegedly entitled & disturbing conduct.
Fact or Fiction
The creative team behind the show has often stated The Crown, while rooted in historical facts, has been tweaked here & there for dramatic effect. However, a big-budgeted Netflix series like this would surely put in extensive amounts of research before filming.
Hence, most of that is shown is grounded in some fact, even if disputed in the real world. Who’s to say whether the show’s portrayal of Prince Andrew’s entitled and crude behavior is a fact or a mere dramatization?
What’s Next?
So far, Tom Byrne’s performance as Prince Andrew has been entertaining to say the least. Going forward, it will be interesting to see how the makers delve deeper into the scandalous life of the former Duke of York. The next season of the show is set to arrive in late 2021 or early 2022.
—
What are your thoughts on The Crown season 4? Let us know in the comments!
