Dominic West revealed that he spent "two days in bed" after reading the reviews for the final season of The Crown.
The 54-year-old actor, known for his portrayal of Prince Charles in the fifth and sixth seasons of Peter Morgan’s royal drama, admitted he is relieved the show is over after the series sparked controversy over its depiction of Princess Diana’s death.
At the time, critics claimed the programme was “mining tragedy for ratings”, particularly by airing the reaction of a young Prince Harry upon learning about his mother's death.
Asked on the BBC Radio 4's Today 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.
"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, added that “it’s such a relief now to go back to theatre and not have to talk about the monarchy anymore”.
He continued: “I was reluctant to take it on but you don’t turn down a Peter Morgan script very easily.
“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, he revealed that that Prince Harry ended their friendship following comments he made about the royal in a press conference.
The actor, who played Prince Charles in the final two series of the Netflix show, bonded with the Duke of Sussex after the pair embarked on an expedition through Antarctica together in 2014.
While the pair got on well during the trip, their friendship quickly fizzled out after Prince Harry stopped talking to the actor.
“We sort of [lost touch because] I said too much in a press conference, and so, we didn’t speak after that,” West, 54, said during an interview with Times Radio when asked about their friendship.
"I think I was asked what we did. [And] what we did to celebrate when we got there and [I] probably said too much,” he continued.
West spoke openly about Harry during a press conference in 2014 following the expedition.
He said at the time that the royal was "very much part of the team."
“He seemed to specialise in building latrines,” said the actor. “He built this incredible castellated structure with blocks to keep out the wind and it even had a loo roll holder.”
