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Netflix's The Crown accused of 'monstrous lie' over the death of Prince Philip's sister.

WARNING: If you’re a fan of The Crown and haven’t finished the season, there are spoilers ahead.

It’s the TV show focusing on the life of the current reigning British monarch, but a new episode of The Crown has garnered criticism from fans and historians alike.

The second season of the much-loved show about the royal family debuted on the streaming platform just three days ago and has been accused of blatantly re-writing history for the sake of a good story.

The penultimate episode of the second series shows the death of Prince Philip‘s beloved sister, 26-year-old Princess Cecilie of Greece and Denmark. Cecilie was killed in 1937 in a plane crash after it hit a factory chimney while flying from Germany to London with her husband and two young sons.

She was eight months pregnant with her fourth child at the time of her death. Firemen found the remains of an infant at the scene, with some suggesting the pilot had attempted a dangerous landing because Cecilie had gone into labour.

Princess Cecilie of Greece
Cecilie was just 26 when she was killed in a plane crash. Image via Wiki Commons.
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During a scene of her funeral, the Netflix drama showed Philip's father turning to him and uttering, "You're the reason we're all here burying my favourite child."

Royal historian Hugo Vickers told Daily Mail her death was "one of the worst things that ever happened" in Prince Philip's life and says the claim he played any part in his sister's death is a "monstrous lie".

LISTEN: Clare and Laura recap The Crown Season 2 on the latest episode here 

On The Crown, a 16-year-old Prince Philip is due to spend a half-term with his older sister, which gives her an opportunity to avoid travelling to London for a wedding.

But when Philip punches a fellow student and must remain at his school for the holidays, his sister, terrified of flying, has no choice but to board the flight that would be her last.

"Had it not been for Philip and his indiscipline she would never have taken that flight," his father says to a young Prince Philip in the show.

"It's true, isn't it boy?"

princess cecile the crown
Prince Philip's sister was played by Leonie Benesch on the show. Image via Netflix.
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Vickers said that the backstory was "all fiction", and that Princess Cecilie always intended to attend the wedding, and that Philip's bad behaviour had no influence over her decision to take the flight.

"I know this is not pretending to be factual but it sails very close to the wind and I think this is a particularly nasty thing to suggest," he said.

"I personally have never heard of any suggestion that Prince Philip was in any way responsible for his sister's death.

"It is very harsh and unfair to Prince Philip who is still living with this tragedy."

The show's writers, creator and director had not yet commented on why the story of Prince Philip's role in his sister's death was so twisted.

Netflix and Left Bank Pictures, the producers of the show, and Buckinham Palace have also declined to comment.

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