Ex-Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is at the center of Hollywood’s latest race for royal drama.
Netflix reportedly considering relaunching The Crown for a limited series chronicling his downfall following his arrest in connection with Jeffrey Epstein.
The former Duke of York was arrested on February 19, his 66th birthday, on suspicion of misconduct in public office after allegedly passing confidential business documents to Epstein.
His arrest, called “historic and unprecedented” by insiders, sparked fierce competition among studios to dramatize the scandal.
According to sources at Daily MailNetflix and The Crown Producers Left Bank Pictures are in “advanced talks” about creating one-off specials under the series banner.
Insider described the potential saga as “as dramatic, if not more dramatic” than the abdication of Edward VIII or the death of Princess Diana, both of which were already covered in the original series.
Disney Studios and Amazon MGM are also circling the story.
“We’ve been bombarded with writers wanting to tell us this story. The race is on in Hollywood to be the first studio to release an Andrew film,” a Disney source told the outlet.
Screenwriter Jeremy Brock, who wrote Amazon MGM A very royal scandalechoed the sentiment.
He told the outlet that Netflix and Amazon were “100%” in talks to make a drama based on the scandal.
Royal fallout
King Charles issued a statement expressing his “deepest concern”, stressing that “the law must take its course”.
Meanwhile, the British government is debating legislation that could remove Andrew from the royal line of succession.
