Since The Crown season 4 premiered on Netflix, the series has attracted controversy and criticism—including from the royals themselves. In particular, episode 9 covers a rather sensitive topic: an avalanche that killed the Major Hugh Lindsay (†34) and nearly took the life of Prince Charles during a skiing holiday.
The Crown: Prince Charles escaped deadly avalanche in 1988
The episode, titled "Avalanche," deals with the tragic incident from 1988. Prince Charles and a good friend, Major Hugh Lindsay, were vacationing in Klosters, a ski resort in Switzerland. On a descent, an avalanche came down the mountain and buried Major Lindsay. Charles, 39 at the time, was fortunate to escape, but his friend was buried and died.
However, in the opinion of critics, this tragedy is pushed to the background in The Crown. They say rather than doing justice to the loss of life, the story's appearance in the episode functions more as a metaphor for the state of Charles and Princess Diana's relationship. But the most vocal critic was the widow of Major Lindsay, Sarah Horsely.
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Hugh Lindsay's widow was "horrified" by The Crown episode
Horsely, the widow of the late Major Lindsay, was most affected by the decision to feature the story on The Crown. When her husband died in 1988, Horsely was pregnant with their first child, later named Alice. The girl never got to know her father.
When Horsely learned that her husband's death would appear in the series, she was "horrified." Speaking to The Telegraph, she added that she was "very concerned about the impact" it would have on her daughter.
In advance, she had urged the producers not to cover the tragedy in the series. Horsely said she received a "very kind letter" informing her that it would be shown with "integrity and great sensitivity." But she added: "I suppose members of the Royal family have to grin and bear it, but for me it's a very private tragedy."
Major Lindsay was 34 when he died in the tragic event. The Crown episode is one of several to attract such heated criticism. Some have even accused the show of spreading troubling rumours about Prince Philip and Princess Diana.
But Netflix has stood by the new season and also stated it will not bend to calls to add a fiction disclaimer before episodes.
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