“The Crown:” Matt Smith was paid more than Claire Foy

Fans of the Netflix series The Crown are a little shook up.

The news comes from executives at Left Bank Pictures, the production company behind the critically acclaimed series. During the INTV Conference in Jerusalem on Tuesday, it was acknowledged that Matt Smith, who portrays Prince Philip, earned more than his co-star Claire Foy for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II.

Despite earning a best actress Golden Globe for Season 1 and a Golden Globe nomination in the same category for Season 2, as well as an Emmy nomination for outstanding lead actress in a drama for Season 1, the execs said that the difference in pay stemmed from the fact that Smith came to Netflix as an established actor, unlike Foy who was still relatively unknown. Smith was no nominated for an Emmy or a Golden Globe for his role.

According to Variety, the production budget per episode stands at around $7 million for the show’s first two seasons. If that figure is correct, that means The Crown is one of the most expensive television series on air.

In light of the slew of outraged comments from the shows fans, and the fact that Foy and Smith’s pay represent a fraction of the production costs, perhaps it would be wise that the executives consider revising the pay disparity.