Diana’s death ‘will be covered sensitively’ in The Crown, says executive producer

Netflix series’ producers also told of how the late Queen’s death has affected the final season

An executive producer of The Crown has said that Diana, Princess of Wales’s death in season six will be recreated sensitively.

Speaking as part of a panel at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Suzanne Mackie told the Edinburgh TV Festival it was important for the team behind the hit series to be “sensitive”.

She said: “The show might be big and noisy, but we’re not. We’re thoughtful people and we’re sensitive people.

“And so there was a very, very careful, long, long, long conversation about how we do it – and I hope, you know, the audience will judge it in the end, but I think it’s been delicately, thoughtfully recreated.

Diana will be portrayed by Elizabeth Debicki, known for her work in The Great Gatsby and Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3.

Ms Mackie credited Debicki as an “extraordinary actress”.

She said: “She was so thoughtful, considerate and loved Diana. So there was a huge amount of respect from us all. I hope that’s evident when you see it.”

Debicki was joined by Andy Harries, also an executive producer for The Crown.

Mr Harries was asked if the passing of the late Queen has impacted the show in any way.

He said: “I think that the passing of Her Majesty undoubtedly impacted on us all and [writer Peter Morgan] in particular.”

Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales from season five of The Crown. (Keith Bernstein/Netflix/PA) (PA Media)

He added: “It didn’t change fundamentally, but it did change in a sense and when you see it I think you’ll know what I mean.”

Ms Mackie said writer Mr Morgan told her the show is a “love-letter to the Queen”.

She added: “I remember when she died, the news, and you can feel that it was bound to happen on that day. It was just an awful moment of when, and I couldn’t get a hold of [Mr Morgan] for hours.”

The Crown debuted in 2016 and has so far aired five successful seasons.

Season six will be the last and will air later this year on Netflix.

The final season is expected to show the premiership of Sir Tony Blair, and the early relationship between Prince William and Kate Middleton – now the Prince and Princess of Wales.