Netflix has sparked controversy after eagle-eyed military viewers noticed Olivia Colman’s salute was ‘limp’ in The Crown’s season trailer.
In the trailer for the fourth season of the hit show, the Queen gave a salute as she watched the Red Arrows perform a flypast at Buckingham Palace in London.
But General Lord Dannatt, former head of the army, told The Times Colman’s ‘limp-cocked wrist’ would ‘drive any self-respecting sergeant major mad’.
He added: ‘Certainly these TV studios should draft in a sergeant major or other military instructor to make sure actors learn to keep their wrist straight.’
Colonel Richard Kemp, ex-commander of British forces in Afghanistan, agreed. He said the Queen always offered a ‘stiff and straight salute’ following her years of experience.
In the trailer for the fourth season of the hit show, the Queen gave a salute as she watched the Red Arrows perform a flypast at Buckingham Palace in London
Timothy Brown, who served in the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, wrote a letter to the newspaper to complain even Colman’s aiguillettes were worn incorrectly.
He said the thin cord from under the arm should actually be looped over the two thin cords at the front.
MailOnline has contacted Netflix for comment.
It comes after stars of The Crown including Emma Corrin, Gillian Anderson and Helena Bonham Carter shared their thoughts about the show’s fourth season in a behind-the-scenes teaser.
The show’s latest season – which is launching on Netflix on Sunday – is described in the video as the ‘finest’ season yet by series director Benjamin Caron.
Colonel Richard Kemp, ex-commander of British forces in Afghanistan, said the Queen always offered a ‘stiff and straight salute’ following her years of experience
It is set to tell the story of the royal family in the 1980s, when two iconic figures – PM Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) and Princess Diana (Emma Corrin) – disrupt the staid and stoical status quo.
The teaser also shows footage of the immense behind-the-scenes operation of the show, which reportedly costs Netflix north of $100 million per season.
Other footage in the video shows Prince Charles fighting with the Queen, the Queen chatting to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Princess Diana and Prince Charles dancing together in a ballroom.
The show’s design appears as sumptuous as viewers have become accustomed in the first three series, with the Queen shown multiple times in all her red and gold finery, and numerous scenes set in her various palaces.
Describing her role in the new season, newcomer Emma Corrin, 24, says: ‘We meet Diana when she’s 16 and we follow her through till she’s about 28.
Fresh faced: Describing her role in the new season, newcomer Emma Corrin, 24, says, ‘We meet Diana when she’s 16 and we follow her through till she’s about 28’
‘It explores everything from her marriage to her discovering her voice and who she is.’
Describing her part of Margaret Thatcher, Gillian Anderson, 52, hinted at a frosty relationship with the Queen, saying: ‘Within the 11 years [of the show], you see her relationship with the queen, the difference in their worlds.’
Olivia Colman, 46, who plays the queen, adds of their relationship: ‘You think: Surely this is going to work out really well – and it doesn’t.
‘It isn’t the beautiful friendship the queen hopes it is going to be.’
Colman added that she found aspects of Season 4 more difficult, revealing: ‘The more it comes to the modern day, the more we are dealing with people’s emotions that are around – and I find that a bit difficult.’
Stars of The Crown have shared their thoughts about the show’s fourth season, in a compelling new behind-the-scenes teaser
Writer Peter Morgan says of his process, ‘You’re trying desperately to remain truthful about what you’re writing about, but in fact you’re so burdened by what you know happened’
Princess Anne actress Erin Doherty, 28, suggests the show is popular because it shows the human face behind the royal family.
She says: ‘This show is so special because it goes – no they have a beating heart, look at them.’
Peter Morgan, the writer behind The Crown, describes the creation process behind creating the show: ‘You’re trying desperately to remain truthful about what you’re writing about, but in fact you’re so burdened by what you know happened.
‘I’m just in this to try and tell the story of what happened in this family, when set against the second half of the 20th Century.
‘And I’ve done my best each time and then you have to surrender and step back – it will mean different things to different people.’
Emma Corrin revealed she asked scriptwriters to add in graphic bulimia scenes to depict the People’s Princess’ battle with the eating disorder
And Helena Bonham Carter is full of praise for the Peter’s work, saying: ‘The gift of this job is Peter’s writing – is there are so many colours and facets to this family. It’s basically never boring.’
Executive producer Suzanne Mackie adds that Diana and Thatcher are at the heart of the show, saying: ‘Peter knew that eventually we would get to this era – these two immensely iconic women.
‘The Queen is our protagonist, you stray too far from her at your peril. You have to constantly bring it back to The Crown.’
Earlier this week, Emma Corrin revealed she asked scriptwriters to add in graphic bulimia scenes to depict the People’s Princess’ battle with the eating disorder.
Speaking to the Radio Times, the screen star said she wanted to include scenes of Diana vomiting to portray the eating disorder in an ‘honest way.’
The teaser also shows footage of the immense behind-the-scenes operation of the show, which reportedly costs Netflix north of $100 million per season
The show’s fourth season is described in the video as the ‘finest’ season yet by series director Benjamin Caron
Speaking of the scenes, which Emma developed with her movement coach, she said: ‘We’d been working on her body language and we put together a document that we sent to the script team and said: “Can you include some of this in the writing because we’d love to really flesh out those scenes?”
‘I felt that if we were trying to depict bulimia in an honest way, we had to actually show it – otherwise it’s a disservice to anyone who has been through that.
‘I don’t think we should shy away from those conversations; Diana was very candid about her experience with bulimia and I so admire that.’
Diana herself first revealed her battle with bulimia during her bombshell Panorama interview with Martin Bashir in 1995.
The Cambridge alum said she related to pressure put on young women to be ‘thin and glamorous’ and that social media placed further importance on people to ‘be a certain way.’
The Crown series four will be released on Netflix on Sunday, November 15th.