Did Netflix's 'The Crown' Just Confirm The Queen's Rumored Affair With Lord Porchester?

It’s no secret that the Royal family is not a fan of Netflix’s The Crown - especially with the Queen, Prince William, and Prince Charles being very explicit with their disdain for the show. The disdain may further deepen though, as episode nine of the show’s current season touches on the persistent rumor that the Queen had an affair with horse race manager, Lord Porchester.

In the episode, the Queen (portrayed by Olivia Colman) flies to stud farms in both America and in France with Lord Porchester. She then returns to Buckingham Palace where she has an on-screen argument about him with Prince Philip (played by Tobias Menzies).

The storyline has been ardently slammed by the Queen's former press secretary, Dickie Arbiter. According to Arbiter, not only was the plot "distasteful and totally unfounded", but he also shared that "the Queen is the last person in the world to have ever considered looking at another man."

He went on to say, "The Crown is a fiction. No one knows any conversation between members of the royal family, but people will tell the story the way they want to and sensationalise it."

Who is Lord Porchester?

Born Henry George Reginald Molyneux Herbert, “Porchie” (as called by close friends) was a childhood friend of Elizabeth II - bonding over their love for horses and horse racing. As the Queen took to the thrown, Porch became a statesman, a local politician, and the Queen’s horse racing manager starting 1969.

It’s unclear when the rumors started, but the palace, Queen, and all those around her have been adamant that she only had eyes for Philip - a fact that was weaved into The Crown’s storyline. In the show, Olivia Colman's character tells Philip, "I have nothing to hide from you, Porchie is a friend."

She goes on to say, "And yes, there are those who would have preferred me to marry him, but to everyone's regret and frustration the only person I have ever loved is you.”

In previous reports, royal sources have revealed that both the Queen and Prince William were upset by how The Crown depicted Prince Philip as an insensitive father who did not care about his son’s well-being.

While, Prince Charles has apparently been paranoid with how the show will be touching on his marriage to the late Princess Diana and his affair with now-wife, Camilla. The timing couldn’t be any worse as he prepares for his role as future King.