Netflix Thinks You’re Smart Enough To Know ‘The Crown’ Is Fiction

Netflix’s “The Crown” has spilled the royal tea for three seasons without anyone calling for the critically acclaimed drama series to separate fact from fiction. 

But the show’s fourth season has inched closer to modern day by introducing characters such as the late Princess Diana and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as it documents a period of major tumult in the House of Windsor. And suddenly everybody’s up in arms. 

Still, the streaming service said it has faith that its viewers realize much of the drama on the series is fictionalized.

“We have always presented ‘The Crown’ as a drama — and we have every confidence our members understand it’s a work of fiction that’s broadly based on historical events,” Netflix said in a statement, according to The Associated Press.

“As a result we have no plans — and see no need — to add a disclaimer.”

The statement arrived days after various prominent British figures called on Netflix to add a warning label of sorts before each episode to make it clear that what comes next isn’t entirely historically accurate.  

Oliver Dowden — the British secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport — has lead the charge and said he planned to contact the media giant about adding a disclaimer.

“It’s a beautifully produced work of fiction. So as with other TV productions, Netflix should be very clear at the beginning it is just that,” Dowden told the U.K. Daily Mail newspaper in a story published in November. “Without this, I fear a generation of viewers who did not live through these events may mistake fiction for fact.”

Dowden echoed the complaints of Charles Spencer, Diana’s brother, who expressed concern that viewers might “forget that it is fiction”