The episode focused on Princess Diana – played by Emma Corrin – and Prince Charles – portrayed by Josh O’Connor – during their tour of Australia and it featured on the show’s season 4. The couple are seen greeting the masses before a woman wearing a yellow jacket catches the eye for her uncanny resemblance to the Duchess of Cambridge.
While Kate did not make a cameo in the show, some viewers were eager to point out the coincidence.
One person wrote on Twitter: “Meta moment in S4 Ep6 of #TheCrown….while depicting Charles and Diana’s trip to Oz, one of the women reaching out to touch Diana is the spit of Kate Middleton…”
While the show has received favourable from viewers, Palace insiders have criticised the portrayal of the Royal Family.
One source told the Mail on Sunday: “This is drama and entertainment for commercial ends being made with no regard to the actual people involved who are having their lives hijacked and exploited.
“In this case, it’s dragging up things that happened during very difficult times 25 or 30 years ago without a thought for anyone’s feelings.
“That isn’t right or fair, particularly when so many of the things being depicted don’t represent the truth.”
Specifically, the portrayal of Prince Charles and his relationship with Diana allegedly sparked outrage within Palace.
Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, one Palace source said: “The new series paints the Prince and Duchess in a very unflattering light but at least at the start of reality shows like The Only Way Is Essex they admit that some scenes have been invented for entertainment.
“It is yet another example, perhaps, of how difficult it is to mix being royal with the commercial world. There are bear traps everywhere.
“I would guess that William is very angry about this latest series of The Crown. And be deeply upset on behalf of his family. As will Harry.
“It is a grotesque and deeply unfair portrayal of their father, mother and stepmother, and of the wider family, including, of course, their grandparents whom they love dearly.
“Because this series is now covering a time and events that so many people can remember, but is incredibly damaging.
