Dominic West says he stopped his son from playing Prince William in the final series of The Crown to stop Charles breaking the news of Princess Diana’s death

Dominic West stopped his son from playing William in the final series of The Crown to avoid the scene where his character Charles breaks the news of Diana’s death.

Senan West appeared as the young prince alongside his father in series five of the Netflix drama.

The young actor, 14, was invited by the makers of The Crown to return to the role for series six.

But Dominic, 54, said he did not want to re-enact the highly charged scenes of Princess Diana’s death with his own son.

He told the Radio Times: ‘I didn’t feel like doing the scene in Balmoral and telling a boy that his mother has died.

Dominic West and Senan on the red carpet for the world premiere of The Crown (season 5)

Senan West appeared as the young prince alongside his father in series five of the drama

West and Elizabeth Debicki in The Crown

When Senan got the part, Dominic said to him, “Do you know how lucky you are? What a luck!’

Elizabeth Debicki, Will Powell, Senan West and Dominic West in season 5 of The Crown

‘They invited Senan back because he was doing so well, but that shocked me a bit. It was unfair of me because he wanted to do it.”

Senan appeared in the final episodes of series five as a ‘slightly older’ William in his early teens.

His appearance in The Crown was his first ever acting role, which was criticized by some viewers as a result of ‘nepotism’.

However, speaking to Town and Country, Dominic claimed that the decision to include his son was due to a casting agent telling him that the show was struggling to fill the role.

When Senan accepted the role, Dominic told him, “Do you know how lucky you are? What a luck!’

He revealed that he then told his son to “listen, enjoy and learn” from the esteemed actors in the series, including during his first scene where he has tea with the late queen, played by Imelda Staunton, 67.