HBO has caused outrage after depicting seven-year-old Prince George as rude and snobbish in their latest “cruel and unfair” cartoon show.
Creators of the new £5 million animated series The Prince have been bashed for “taking cheap shots” by portraying young George as a spoilt brat.
The HBO Max eight-part series could cause a damaging effect on the next generation of the Royal Family – as the satirical show takes “unfair” jibes at the youngster.
Expected to air in the UK next year, the animated series was created by Gary Janetti – who began mocking the Prince on his Instagram account, which has almost one million followers.
The 54-year-old will be voicing Prince George, while Orlando Bloom plays Prince Harry, and Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner voices Princess Charlotte.
But the concept has been criticised by people in the industry, with a producer at Disney Studio accusing Mr Janetti of “taking cheap shots.”
He said: “It’s one thing for film-makers to play fast and loose with the truth in shows like The Crown but poking fun at a seven-year-old child seems cruel and unfair.
‘CRUEL AND UNFAIR’
“Some things should be off-limits. It’s morally wrong to use a child to get cheap laughs.”
In one scene, cartoon Prince George shakes his teacher’s hand on the first day of school and says: “You curtsy lower tomorrow if you want to keep your ******* job.”
Another clips shows him sitting on a throne, saying: “Hey guys, it’s me, Prince George…
“I know self-isolating is difficult and we’re all sick of being stuck in the same 775 rooms, or, you know, studio apartment, it’s different for everyone.
“Stay positive and be nice to your serving staff. They’re doing the best they can, even though lunch ******* sucked today.”
Critics also condemned Mr Janetti for joking about the young Prince’s sexuality, after implying a relationship with another pageboy at Prince Harry’s wedding.
On Twitter, people have voiced their outrage at the satirical show, with one user writing: “So cruel! Who even allowed this to happen?”
JIBES AT THE PRINCE
Another blasted the show writers : “You really do have a problem. Why would anyone let their children watch this, especially George’s parents.
“It’s disgusting. In fact why would anyone watch it.”
TV critic Katherine Singh said: “It’s important to remember George is still a child who has had no say in his lot in life.
“What we say about people, even those who seem untouchable like the Royals, can seriously and negatively affect people. Prince George is old enough to know what’s going on.”
But Mr Janetti, who was formerly a writer on Family Guy, hopes that seven-year-old Prince George will be able to find the humour in the show, and that “everything is meant with affection.”
This comes as Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden warned that The Crown “is fiction” and should not be mistaken as fact, as concerns for the Netflix show’s potential lasting damage deepen.
Mr Dowden praised the royal drama as a “beautifully produced work of fiction”, but said viewers could be in danger of mistaking it for fact without a warning at the beginning of each episode.
Concerns have arisen that the fictional scenes written by the The Crown’s creator Peter Morgan are doing damage to the monarchy because viewers believe they are true.
A friend of Prince Charles even referred to the portrayal of the Royal family as “sinister” and “highly sophisticated propaganda”.
And many believe that the cartoon depiction of Prince George will also cause harm to the next generation of the Royal Family.
