Crown viewers mock the Secretary of Culture’s warning to Netflix about the show’s accuracy: “I look forward to his letter to Hilary Mantel.”

In response to backlash over the accuracy of the fourth season of Netflix’s historical drama, Conservative politician Oliver Dowden said the streaming service should be “very clear at the beginning” that the show is not real.

“Without this, I fear that a generation of viewers who have not witnessed these events may mistake fiction for fact,” he said, adding that he would write to Netflix to request a “health warning” for the show.

Dowden’s comments received widespread criticism online, and viewers were shocked that the Minister of Culture felt that the public should say that a fictional TV show is not real.

“The” intervention “of the cultural secretary is over The crown is the funniest thing I’ve heard in ages “, commented one viewer and added:” I’m looking forward to his letter to Hilary Mantel. “

“Netflix is ​​already telling people that The crown is fiction. It will be billed as a drama. These people are actors. I know! Blow you up ”, answered another.

Angered by the news, one Twitter user wrote, “I just don’t know where to start with Oliver Dowden, who is using his full headed stationery power to demand the Netflix proclamation The crown is fiction, but maybe a trip around the back of the flat screen to see if there aren’t small people living there. “

Many also suggested hypocrisy in Dowden’s comments, as political figures leaning to the right are often opposed to the use of trigger warnings in relation to sensitive content in the media.

“Excited to find ourselves in our culture wars in a place where the right-wing are on board with trigger warnings, but only when they are used to explain the concept of historical fiction,” wrote one viewer.

However, the show has also been criticized for creating scenes and conversations between characters, particularly regarding Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor) relationships with Diana and Camilla Parker-Bowles (Emerald Fennell).

The crown can be streamed on Netflix.