The Crown will air its sixth and final season in two parts this year, with the first part slated to hit Netflix on November 16th, and the second part will arrive on the streaming platform on December 14th. All eyes are likely to be on this season because it’s going to depict the harrowing last days of Princess Diana and her tragic end.
Even though The Crown makers have assured a sensitive portrayal of Lady Diana’s death, the Netflix phenomenon has often been under scrutiny for its depiction of historical events and the royal family.
In particular, people are concerned about how The Crown deals with Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s romance and the whirlwind media frenzy around it, as it will be a major storyline this season. A statement from Netflix reads: “A relationship blossoms between Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed before a fateful car journey has devastating consequences.”
Executive Producer Suzanne Mackie told The Daily Mail, “We’re very much in the beginning of the Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed story.” She continued: “From the second she steps onto that boat and [you begin to see] some of those iconic images of her on the yacht, it does take you immediately to the whirlwind that was the press speculation around that romance.”
Who was Dodi Fayed?
Dodi Fayed, whose romantic involvement with Princess Diana is set to be explored in Netflix’s upcoming season of The Crown, was a man of intrigue and significant wealth. Born on April 15th, 1955, in Alexandria, Egypt, Dodi was the eldest son of Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed. His family was well-known for their ownership of the famous luxury department store Harrods in London and the Ritz Hotel in Paris.
Dodi was not just a beneficiary of his family’s fortune but also a successful film producer. He was credited with producing films like Chariots of Fire and F/X. His passion for the film industry extended beyond producing, as he also acted in some movies and showed a genuine interest in the world of entertainment.
However, it was Dodi Fayed’s relationship with Princess Diana that brought him into the global spotlight. The two met during the summer of 1997, and their romance quickly captivated the media and the public.
What happened to Dodi Fayed?
The tragic and untimely demise of Fayed occurred on August 31st, 1997, in the same car crash in a tunnel in Paris, France, that claimed Lady Diana’s life. The incident occurred when Dodi and Princess Diana were pursued by relentless paparazzi photographers on motorbikes. The intense media attention and the high-speed chase resulted in a fatal accident, taking the lives of both Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana.
The world was stunned by the loss of the “People’s Princess,” as Diana was affectionately known, and her companion, Dodi Fayed. Their deaths marked a sombre chapter in modern history, triggering a wave of mourning and an urgent reflection on the consequences of intrusive media practices.
The tragic event has had a profound impact on public attitudes toward press intrusion into the lives of public figures and played a significant role in prompting discussions and legal ramifications of the responsibilities of the media.
Elizabeth Debicki is all poised to portray the princess in her final weeks in season six. Speaking of series creator Peter Morgan, Debicki said, “I really just trusted in Peter’s emotional blueprint that he created for us to follow. It’s his interpretation and I think it made emotional sense to me, so I clung to that. Because, obviously, it’s devastating, and it’s fraught, and we can never know.”
