The Crown series 2 explores the royal family’s former Nazi sympathies

It will devote an episode to Edward VIII's admiration for Hitler
Nazi sympathies: the new series of The Crown will feature an episode that explores Edward VIII's links with the Third Reich
Netflix
Aime Grant Cumberbatch8 December 2017

The second series of Netflix hit The Crown will explore the royal family’s former Nazi sympathies.

Robert Lacey, the show’s historian, has teased that a ‘whole episode’ of the forthcoming run will be devoted to exploring Edward VIII’s links to the Third Reich and his admiration for Hitler.

The Duke of Windsor, who abdicated the throne in order to be able to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson, taught the Nazi salute to his then six-year-old niece the Queen.

He also visited Hitler in 1936 and is claimed to have said the dictator’s takeover of Germany was ‘the only thing to do’.

Meanwhile Hitler reportedly believed that ‘permanent friendly relations could have been achieved’ if Edward had remained on the throne, and in 1940 Churchill tried to supress a Nazi plot to restore the monarch to his former position.

Speaking to The Sun, Lacey explained that the decision was made to focus Edward VIII’s fascist sympathies after a viewer threatened to boycott the series.

He told the publication: “Somebody said to me, ‘the trouble with your Duke of Windsor is that you don’t talk about his Nazi side’. They said to me, ‘I’m not going to watch it anymore’.”

The Crown series two - in pictures

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“Well his series, there is a whole episode addressing this question of Hitler and the Windsors.”

The new series of the Netflix drama may not make the most comfortable viewing for the royals, as not only does it feature Edward’s unsavoury past, but also sheds light on problems in the Queen and Prince Philip’s marriage, including some of his rumoured affairs.

The Crown series two is available to watch on Netflix now.

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