The late Queen Elizabeth II blocked Netflix's chief executive, Ted Sarandos, from attending a prestigious Windsor Castle reception in 2021, senior Conservative sources close to Boris Johnson's Government have claimed.
Mr Sarandos had been put forward alongside prominent American business figures, including JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon, BlackRock's Larry Fink, Blackstone's Stephen Schwarzman and Bill Gates for the UK Global Investment Summit that October.
However, Palace officials rejected the streaming company boss from a guest list of approximately 400 VIPs submitted by Downing Street.
"It was suggested by the Government that Netflix should attend the summit and the drinks reception at Windsor Castle, which was ultimately the biggest attraction of the whole event. The Palace said no," one insider revealed.
Queen Elizabeth II 'blocked Netflix boss from Windsor Castle reception' after on-screen portrayal
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The monarch's fury centred on how the award-winning drama depicted Prince Philip as a harsh parent, sources told the New York Post.
Season four of the series, which aired before Queen Elizabeth's death in September 2022, proved particularly contentious with its portrayal of the romantic triangle involving King Charles, Princess Diana and Queen Camilla.
That same season also dramatised the breakdown of Charles's marriage and explored tensions between the Queen and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Britain's longest-reigning monarch, who died aged 96, reportedly took deep personal offence at these characterisations of her family.
Ted Sarandos is the CEO of Netflix | PAUnder King Charles's reign, Mr Sarandos found himself back on the invitation list for a similar business gathering during Rishi Sunak's time as Prime Minister.
The Netflix executive's inclusion was pushed through by Mr Sunak's inner circle, with the streaming platform's substantial £6billion commitment to British productions proving decisive, according to sources.
"Boris didn't really care who was there as long as some rich people showed up," one source noted of the earlier summit's approach to guest selection.
The contrast between the two monarchs' attitudes towards the streaming giant marks a notable shift in royal relations with Netflix.
The Crown released six seasons on Netflix about the British Royal Family | PALATEST ROYAL NEWS:
The final season of The Crown depicted the final weeks of Diana and Dodi's life
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The streaming giant has maintained its connections to the British royal household despite the earlier tensions, with the company currently in production on a documentary featuring King Charles.
The film will commemorate the 50th anniversary of The King's Trust, the charity established by the then-Prince of Wales in 1976.
Throughout its six seasons, The Crown never filmed at official royal residences. Lancaster House near Hyde Park doubled for Buckingham Palace, whilst Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire and Burghley House in Lincolnshire served as stand-ins for Windsor Castle, where Elizabeth II now rests.
GB News has contacted Buckingham Palace and Netflix for comment on the 2021 incident.