Jemima Khan, co-screenwriter of the hit Netflix series The Crown, has stepped away from the production of the show saying that the portrayal of Princess Diana was not done “respectfully or compassionately.”

In an interview with the Sunday Times, Khan said, “When our co-writing agreement was not honoured, and when I realized that particular storyline would not necessarily be told as respectfully or compassionately as I had hoped, I requested that all my contributions be removed from the series and I declined a credit.”

A close friend of the Princess of Wales, Khan was brought in as advisor to Peter Morgan, the creator of the show, for information regarding Hasnat Khan and Dodi Fayed, and to accurately describe Princess Diana’s last few years before her death in the Paris car crash in 1997.

Khan worked with Morgan on the storyline from September 2020 to February 2021, during which she also dated him briefly.

Created in 2006, The Crown is a hit TV series that portrays the life of Queen Elizabeth II. The show has had four successful seasons. The closing fifth season is expected to premiere in November 2022.

Shortly after Khan pulled out of the series, a spokesperson from streaming giant Netflix came forward with a statement that said, “(Khan) has been part of a wide network of well-informed and varied sources who have provided extensive background information to our writers and research team.” However, “she has never been contracted as a writer on the series.”

Khan has previously been a vocal fan of the Netflix series. She tweeted about it being the ‘best yet,’ and praised actress Emma Corrin, because she “captured all the magic of shy Di.” The tweet has since been deleted.

The British screenwriter moved to Pakistan after marrying Pakistani cricketer and current Prime Minister Imran Khan. The couple divorced in 2004. Surgeon Hasnat Khan, Princess Diana's former partner is a cousin of Khan's ex-husband. Princess Diana visited Khan twice while she lived in Pakistan.

Khan is one of the producers for American Crime, The Impeachment which is currently airing in the US and follows the true life story of Monica Lewinsky's affair with then US President Bill Clinton. She is also written and currently producing What's Love Got to Do With It, a film about a British woman who travels to Pakistan for a wedding.