The British royal family actually get The Crown spoilers before each season is aired

By Ana Eksouzian-Cavadas10 September 2019

And get this: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip watch the show from their own Netflix account

In a now-ingrained tradition in our modern day viewing rituals, most would agree that the second a new season of our favourite show drops on our go-to streaming service, we get comfortable in front of our screen of choice and bunker down, not emerging from our well-warmed seat until the final episode credits role.

The only other binge-watching adage that’s given equal weight is that anyone who feeds spoilers to a series obsessive would not be looked kindly upon—the only exception to this rule being the British royal family, who seem to welcome a thorough heads-up on the series based around their long-held rule, The Crown.

Of course, ahead of the release of season three, we all now have a rough idea what we’ll see unfold (read: Prince Charles’s introduction to Camilla Parker-Bowles, the demise of Princess Margaret’s marriage, etc.), but it’s been reported that Buckingham Palace has been in on these plot points before the new season ever went into production, according to The Times.

Show creator, Peter Morgan, confessed to the publication that he’s had regularly scheduled meetings—four times a year, to be specific—with “people who are very high ranking and very active within the organisation.”

Considering the powerful presence that the British royals maintain, Morgan sees it as a sign of respect for the extremely high profile subject matter of his successful series to know roughly how each season will unfold: “Respectfully, I tell them what I have in mind and they brace themselves slightly,” he said.

It’s perhaps these regular catch-ups that we have to thank for the hyper-realistic depictions we view each season, with the writer and playwright wanting to re-iterate the gravity and importance that the British royal family have had, do have and likely will have for a long time.

"You know when you get a supermarket trolley that veers to one side, because its wheels aren't right?" Morgan asked The Times. "The wheels on this show want it to do satire, which is what we love doing with our political leaders and royals. But I'm not remotely interested in that. I'm constantly trying to steer it in the other direction, towards something heroic."

Of course, meetings aside, Morgan very much remains true to his own artistic licence, airing scenes in the past that have even made the Queen herself unhappy with her family’s portrayal.

Still, it’s because of the show creator’s overall careful consideration that many royals, including Princess Eugenie, Prince Edward, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and even Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip—who apparently stream it from their very own Netflix account—remain firmly in the show’s fan base.

This article originally appeared on Vogue.com.au