It's not even on television just yet but the upcoming animated series, The Prince, based on seven-year-old Prince George, has sparked controversy for its alleged cruelty in depicting the eldest son of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The satire show, ordered from writer and creator Gary Janetti will run on HBO Max and air in the U.K. in 2021. However, an executive from a rival studio and streaming platform, Disney+, said that The Prince is "taking cheap shots" for laughs at the expense of the royal child. The unnamed Disney+ executive said that some things must be off-limits when it comes to creating a TV series based on actual people.
The concept of The Prince depicts the third in line to the British throne as a snarky spoiled brat. Some scenes from the animation are quite suggestive as well. Apparently, critics are appalled that Janetti wrote in some lines showing that Prince George could be in a relationship with one of the pageboys at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.
Royal fans on Twitter have been voicing their outrage for the animation despite watching just clips of it. TV critic Katherine Singh also shared her thoughts about this controversy. Speaking with the Daily Mail, Singh said that a show like The Prince could have a serious negative effect on a child, who might not understand what's happening.
Janetti signed a $7 million contract with HBO Max to turn his popular Instagram parody of Prince George into a TV show. The eight-part animation also features the voices of Orlando Bloom, Sophie Turner, and Dan Stevens.
The creator, who will also be voicing Prince George in the series, has high hopes viewers will find the humor in the animated comedy and see that it was made "with affection." It comes as another streaming platform, Netflix, has been under fire for the depiction of the royal family in The Crown season 4.
Meanwhile, Netflix has finally responded to calls to put a disclaimer before every episode. In a statement, the streaming platform said it has no plans to heed to the call as they have "always presented The Crown as a drama" and a "work of fiction."
Some viewers who are just learning a part of Prince Charles and Camilla's affair from the latest episodes have trolled and attacked the royal couple's social media pages, prompting Clarence House to shut down the comments section. However, a recent poll showed that The Crown hasn't tarnished the reputation of the royals.
According to Focaldata, 35 percent of the viewers actually said their opinion of the royal family improved, while 23 percent said that it worsened. At least 34 percent said that they think better of Prince Charles, Prince George's grandfather, as well.
