Dominic West says he ‘spent two days in bed’ after reading The Crown’s poor reviews

Actor explained: ‘I’m a sensitive soul, I worry about what people think’

Dominic West has said he “spent two days in bed” after reading the reviews for the final season of The Crown.

The 54-year-old actor played Prince Charles in the fifth and sixth seasons of Peter Morgan’s royal drama.

Those seasons were widely considered the Netflix show’s weakest, with critics such as The Independent’s Nick Hilton writing that it had “gone from being the jewel in Netflix’s crown to a symbol of the platform’s decline in popularity and quality”.

Asked on the BBC’s Today programme whether he was concerned about the royal response to his performance, West said: “I don’t want to make their lives any more difficult than they already are, so I suppose it does concern you.”

He added: “All reactions worry me. I read all the reviews and spent two days in bed. So yes, I’m a sensitive soul, I worry about what people think.”

West, who is currently appearing on stage in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge, went on to say that “it’s such a relief now to go back to theatre and not have to talk about the monarchy anymore”.

Dominic West as Prince Charles in ‘The Crown’ (Netflix)

“I was reluctant to take it on but you don’t turn down a Peter Morgan script very easily,” said West. “He’s such a great writer and it was such a great show. I loved being on it. I loved wearing the clothes. I loved driving the cars and I loved having people bow to me. It’s an absolutely wonderful feeling. I miss it.”

Last month, West revealed that Prince Harry no longer talks to him.

The pair became friendly during a charity trek in 2013. Nine years before West accepted the role of Prince Charles, Harry’s father, on The Crown, he went on an expedition to the South Pole with the royal.

However, soon after getting home, Harry, 39, seemingly shut off contact with West due to comments he made at a press conference discussing their antics on the trip.

While speaking to reporters, West praised Harry, calling him “a great guy”, but he then proceeded to share details regarding how they celebrated reaching the South Pole, which prompted the fallout.

“There was a lot of liquor drunk,” he told reporters, adding: “We all drank champagne out of Duncan’s favourite prosthetic legs.” Duncan Slater is a double amputee, injured in Afghanistan in 2009, who joined them on the trek. West continued: “He told some eye-wateringly rude jokes, which for a non-soldier like me was pretty shocking.”

The actor addressed these comments when asked by Times Radio if he keeps in touch with Harry. Laughing at the question, he said: “We sort of [lost touch as] I said too much in a press conference, and so we didn’t speak after that. I think I was asked what we did to celebrate when we got there and probably said too much.”

The Crown is currently streaming on Netflix.