The Crown: Princess Diana's brother Earl Spencer rejected request to film at family estate
Princess Diana's brother claims he rejected The Crown's request to film scenes for the hit Netflix series at the family estate.
Earl Spencer said he declined the show's request for filming at the family home in Althorp, West Northamptonshire.
The forthcoming fifth series of the royal Netflix drama stars Elizabeth Debicki as his late sister, Diana, Princess of Wales.
It will reportedly dramatise her headline-making 1995 Panorama interview with Martin Bashir as well as other key events in her later life.
Earlier this year, a report by Lord Dyson concluded the BBC covered up “deceitful behaviour” used by Bashir to secure the bombshell interview and led to a call from the Duke of Cambridge for it never to be aired again.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast at his family estate, Earl Spencer said he had declined when producers of The Crown asked to film on the site.
He said: “They applied. They wanted to shoot here. But I don’t really do that stuff.
“Actually, to be honest, I don’t watch The Crown so I just said: ‘Thank you but no thank you.’”
In May, Lord Dyson’s report into Diana’s Panorama interview concluded Bashir was in “serious breach” of the BBC’s producer guidelines when he faked bank statements and showed them to Earl Spencer to gain access to the princess for the interview.
Earl Spencer said there remained “a long way to go” with the investigation into the events surrounding the programme and did not rule out legal action.
A BBC spokeswoman said: “Today’s BBC has aimed to be as open and transparent as possible about the events of 25 years ago.
"We held an independent, judge-led investigation which was concluded within six months and, separately, BBC News commissioned an edition of Panorama in which journalists robustly investigated their own employer.
“While the BBC cannot turn back the clock after a quarter of a century, we made a full and unconditional apology the day Lord Dyson’s report was published.”
The fifth series of The Crown, due to air in November 2022, will see Dominic West star as the Prince of Wales opposite Debicki as Diana.
The Wire star takes over the role of Charles from Josh O’Connor, while The Night Manager actress Debicki will replace Emma Corrin.
Imelda Staunton will take over the role of the Queen from Olivia Colman, while Jonathan Pryce will replace Tobias Menzies as the Duke of Edinburgh and Lesley Manville will take on Princess Margaret, following in the footsteps of Helena Bonham Carter.