On July 29, on HBO Max, viewers were able to experience the channel’s latest animated series: The Prince. The only problem is that she ridicules the British royal family and Prince George, who is only 8 years old …
The royal family of England takes another blow. After the interview of Harry and Meghan with Oprah Winfrey or even the violent criticisms towards Prince George during the final of the Euro… the reputation of the Windsor clan is again undermined.
This time, it’s a series that worries Queen Elizabeth II and her entourage. Indeed, on July 29, the American channel HBO Max unveiled a satirical show on British crowned heads. Entitled “The Prince”, the animated series focuses on Prince George, presented as the main character. The program ridicules the members of the royal family of England. Evidenced by the trailer for the show, where we can hear the little prince complaining about his tea to his butler before telling another that he is “at the bottom of the ladder”.
The cartoon has also offered a five-star cast for the dubbing: Orlando Bloom lends his voice to Prince Harry, Sophie Turner (Sansa, from Game of Thrones), Princess Charlotte and Alan Cumming to Butler Owen … quote them.
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Why is this problematic?
Barely released, the series is already creating controversy. And for good reason, many criticize the fact that Prince George is the main character. This cartoonish and gloomy portrait of the son of Kate Middleton and Prince William is judged to be disrespectful and violent. Especially because we are talking about … a little boy of 8 years old. Even her sister Charlotte (6 years old) and her brother Louis (3 years old) take it for their rank.
“How can anyone imagine that harassing an 8-year-old is a form of entertainment? I can’t imagine another 8 year old being made fun of this way. You should be ashamed “, commented a user. ” This is inappropriate. It’s disrespectful. The children are all innocent and untouchable! The series should be withdrawn and never seen. How can you in good conscience allow this to happen? “, added another. A #boycottThePrince hashtag even emerged on Twitter.
Another problematic point: the one who wrote and produced the series is none other than Gary Janetti (Family Guy, The Griffins). The producer is known for his work, but also for his Instagram account where he regularly parodies members of the royal family (and especially Prince George). It was on this page that the idea to create The Prince was born. While some find his mockery hilarious, others are shocked and see it as harassment. His behavior had already been pinned down by an Anglo-Saxon journalist in May 2020, after insulting publications on Meghan Markle. In an article published on the site Pajiba, Kayleigh Donaldson deplored the fact that one considers as “satirical” contents which are primarily slut-shaming and misogyny. His twitter thread on the subject had been so successful that he prompted Gary Janetti to delete many posts. It seems important to remember that these are human beings and not just fictional characters.