The Duke of Cambridge is reportedly unhappy that his mother Princess Diana is going to be depicted in a new BBC drama about Jimmy Savile.
The new drama, entitled The Reckoning, will depict Savile’s upbringing, career and child sex offences. It will air later this year.
BBC’s new Jimmy Savile drama
The BBC is set to air a four-part drama about Jimmy Savile and the crimes he committed later this year.
The true-crime drama will star Steve Coogan as Savile. The drama was criticised when it was announced back in October 2020.
This was mainly because it has been commissioned by the BBC, the same corporation that reportedly turned a blind eye to Savile’s crimes.
Now further controversy has arisen from the drama, as it is going to be depicting Savile’s meeting with Princess Diana in 1983.
Savile and Princess Diana met at the opening of the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in 1983.
The BBC has recreated this meeting, with actor Kate Tickle portraying the late Princess of Wales.
The news hasn’t said to have gone down well with William.
Duke of Cambridge unhappy with BBC
According to reports made by The Sun, it was hoped by the royal family that the scenes featuring Diana wouldn’t make the final cut of the new four-part drama.
However, it doesn’t look like they’ll be getting their wish.
A source told The Sun: “Prince William would have preferred not to see his mother feature alongside this vile monster at all.
“But he would be particularly displeased that it’s in a BBC show — and one that’s proved so controversial.”
The source then continued, saying: “Although Diana was one of the important people who Savile ingratiated himself with, there were many others whose influence played a greater part in him getting access to young people and hiding in plain sight.”
The Duke of Cambridge vs the BBC
This won’t be the first time that the BBC has managed to anger the Duke of Cambridge and his family recently.
Just last year, the BBC aired a documentary called The Princes and the Press.
The documentary examined how Prince William and Prince Harry‘s relationships with the press changed following the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Read more: Prince William and Kate Middleton celebrate the Queen’s life in rare tribute
The documentary featured suggestions that royal sources had spoken to journalists behind the scenes.
A joint statement from the royal households was shown at the end of the documentary. The statement expressed disappointment in the BBC.
Following this, Prince William and Kate Middleton allowed ITV to air their Christmas concert, rather than the BBC.
Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think of this story.