BBC * GETTY King Charles III could have featured a Brexit bill

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In the one-off film which aired last night, a fictional Prince Charles (played by Tim Pigott-Smith) was seen refusing to give the Royal Assent to a privacy law that would restrict the freedom of the press. However, there was talk of changing the legislation from privacy to Brexit in the wake of the European Union (EU) referendum in June last year. The change would have seen the drama exploring a hard Brexit versus a soft one as the royal urged parliament to re-consider the law, but the plans were shelved. KING CHARLES III: WILL THERE BE MORE EPISODES OF THE DRAMA?

Director Rupert Goold made the admission to media including Express.co.uk at a recent screening of King Charles III. He explained: “About four/five months before we started filming Brexit must have happened. I remember saying, ‘What if it was Brexit?’ That we were leaving Europe that’s what he’s not going to sign. He doesn’t stop it, he asks them to think again to make a hard Brexit a soft Brexit.” Goold said that the original 2014 play, which the television film has been adapted from, was written in the context of the Leveson Inquiry into press freedom and privacy.

BBC King Charles III could have featured a Brexit bill

BBC The cast of BBC drama King Charles III

I remember saying, ‘What if it was Brexit?’ That we were leaving Europe that’s what he’s not going to sign Rupert Goold

The critically-acclaimed director went on to say: “But I think one of the reasons we stayed with the freedom of the press was because there is a heroic irony that Charles’ life was being impeded on by the press. “Actually, he defends the very thing that’s attacked him. It gave complexity and strength and dignity to a position that an audience might be hostile to given that it’s anti-democratic.” The film has attracted some criticism for the inclusion of Princess Diana's ghost which appears a couple of times. BBC film King Charles III has been described as a future history play in which the Queen dies and Prince Charles ascends to the throne, however his rule plunges the monarchy into chaos and sees Britain descend into an anarchy not seen since the London riots.

BBC Tim Pigott-Smith plays the fictional monarch in King Charles III

Meet the cast of King Charles III Fri, December 30, 2016 King Charles III is based on the 2014 play of the same name and imagines what might happen when Prince Charles ascends to the throne following the Queen’s death. Meet the cast of the new BBC drama. Play slideshow BBC 1 of 13 Meet the cast of new BBC drama King Charles III

BBC The cast of BBC drama King Charles III