Royal expert Tessa Dunlop analyzed the show and concluded that The Crown managed to contextualize Prince Harry's "feelings of being spare." This reflection aligns with Harry's own memoir titled "Spare," where he delves into the treatment he experienced during his childhood.
Dunlop, a historian, writer, and broadcaster, shared with OK! Magazine that Prince Harry is not prominently featured in the series, with the spotlight primarily on Prince William. The portrayal depicts William as the responsible one, while Harry is characterized as the "goofball."
"William is the linchpin here, and he’s foregrounded," Dunlop explained. "He takes part in the investigation in the wake of Diana’s death involving the Metropolitan Police, he's interviewed for that, but Harry isn’t."
According to Dunlop, Charles, the father, is more concerned with William, and the series reflects the reality that "most attention was focused" on William, who was a teenager dealing with exams. In contrast, "Harry was a little boy still at prep school, and the idea that Harry lived in the shadows of William and in some ways The Crown reflects that."
Dunlop concluded that in both reel and real life, "Harry felt a bit overcast" because, despite no difference in love from the family, the institutional monarchy prioritized William due to his future role as king.
