HBO’s ‘The Prince’ Stuck in Controversy

More drama surrounding the royal family has come to light, but this time, it’s about a cartoon.

HBO found itself in deep water last week with the release of their new animated series, The Prince. Like the title suggests, the show is about a prince — Prince George, to be exact — and the lavish lifestyle of the British monarchy.

HBO’s ‘The Prince’ Stuck in Controversy
Photo from Bento Box Entertainment

The series is told through the perspective of Prince George, who seems to be bratty, spoiled, haughty, and every other single adjective in the book. Queen Elizabeth is portrayed as a gun-crazy tyrant, Prince Charles a mommy’s boy, and Harry a clueless fish out of water.

Family Guy writer Gary Janetti headed the satirical project after he went viral on Instagram for sharing memes of Prince George, who, might we mention, is only 8 years old.

Needless to say, while it’s not the first piece of media that has poked fun at the crown (ahem, The Crown), it definitely rubbed viewers the wrong way. Particularly, the decision to spoof a child left many critics displeased.

“Basing #ThePrince off a child who hasn’t chosen to be in the public realm is irresponsible & not funny,” said one Twitter user. “Reconsider or I’ll cancel my subscription.”

Another user echoed the same sentiments: “Children are off limits — it’s uncalled for & goes against our collective sense of responsibility to make fun of children.”

Others also blasted the show for its jokes of Prince Philip and his deteriorating health. The 99-year-old notably died just a few months prior.

Though it wasn’t just the show that bore the brunt of the hate; voice actors Orlando Bloom and Sophie Turner, both British, were targeted online for their participation in the project.

Viewers will be surprised to know that Bloom is actually neighbors with Harry in their California neighborhood. He previously told The Hollywood Reporter that Harry was “a nice guy” with a “great sense of humor.”

“I hope he maintains his sense of humor through this because they’re sort of on a pedestal. We’re showing real adoration to them in one form or another,” he said.

Turner, on the other hand, faced claims of being hypocritical as she had previously called for privacy and protection of minors when it came to unwanted photographs of her own child.

With all the controversy surrounding the show, it’s unsure whether or not the series will be renewed for another season. Until then, you can catch up on all the “tea” on HBO Max.

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