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Emma Corrin in The Crown.
Photo: Des Willie / Netflix
OUR RATING
5/5 stars
WHAT IS IT ABOUT:
As the 1970s draw to a close, Queen Elizabeth (Olivia Colman) and her family are concerned about safeguarding the line of succession by securing a suitable bride for Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor), who has yet to be married at 30. The nation begins to feel the impact of the divisive policies introduced by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson), tensions arise between her and the queen that only worsen as Thatcher leads the country into the Falklands War, generating conflicts within the Commonwealth. While Charles’s affair with a young Lady Diana Spencer (Emma Corrin) provides a much-needed fairy tale to unite the British people, behind closed doors, the royal family becomes increasingly divided.
WHAT WE THINK:
We are finally getting to the part of The crown with which most people living today are familiar. Margaret Thatcher. Princess Diana. Charles and Camilla. All the scandal that has shaken the Royal Family in recent years and I am here for it and no.
This season runs from 1979 to the early 1990s, beginning with Margaret Thatcher’s reign as the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Gillian Anderson does a phenomenal job as the Iron Lady. However, his heavy accent annoyed me. So much so that I went looking for videos of Margaret Thatcher speaking to see how this would go. Even though it’s a bit of a stretch, it still brings Mrs Thatcher to life remarkably well. One of the best parts of this season is seeing her come face to face with the Queen during their weekly meetings. These are two very different women who come from very different backgrounds, but as the Queen says at the end, it was too easy to highlight their differences, but they still had a lot in common.
Prince Philip (Tobias Menzies), my favorite troublemaker Royal, was pretty low-key this season and I loved his scenes and the trajectory of his relationship with Diana. The hunting trip that takes her to Scotland is easily one of the most poignant scenes of this season and also one of the few times Diana was welcomed as part of the family.
Charles and Diana’s relationship begins difficult. It’s a marriage he never wanted, and although they had a moment of love and willingness to be together during their Australia and New Zealand tour, it didn’t last long once Charles felt resentment towards Diana. Prince Charles is honestly the worst this season. Throw that man away. The way he treats and talks to Diana is despicable, and it’s heartbreaking to watch this bright light go out behind closed doors. It is tragic to see him knowing very well how this all ends.
At one point, Diana is in favor of him, to make the marriage work to the delight of the queen, who seems determined to stick her head in the sand and make this marriage work. It’s a “What will people say?” way of thinking on a much larger scale. But all Charles wants is an outing to be with Camilla (Emerald Fennell). I honestly forgot how much I hated Prince Charles, as it had turned into a mere dislike. Charles is not portrayed as a good or even interested father, but we do know that young princes have a seemingly good relationship with their father. So one can avoid wondering how much of this is speculation for dramatic purposes and what is real. I can’t help but watch this and wonder how Prince William and Prince Harry will feel seeing their parents’ marriage and trauma unfolding on screen for entertainment value.
I should mention Helena Bonham Carter because once again she is amazing as Princess Margaret. Margaret is the only member of the family who expresses the opinion that the marriage between Charles and Di should not go ahead for the sake of them as human beings. Margaret also feels pushed out of the center of the family, so to speak. As the queen’s children come of age, they begin to take over the royal duties that had given her a sense of purpose, and there is an episode dedicated to her sanity and how she copes with it.
As a South African, it was very interesting to see the Queen and Maggie Thatcher go head to head to support the sanctions against apartheid in South Africa. It was one of the only times Queen and Downing Street collided with something important. It appeared in the newspapers, despite the fact that the Palace Press Office denied such a rift between the Queen and the Prime Minister.
Overall, it was an exciting season, but also a tragic one. Diana was truly the People’s Princess, and to see the way she was treated and how she was broken is heartbreaking. But Diana doesn’t take things lightly, and I look forward to seeing her take over next season even though everyone knows how it ends.
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
WATCH IT NOW ON NETFLIX
