Even though the events depicted on Season 5 of "The Crown" took place more than 25 years ago, the story is all too well known for much of the audience, and it has been heavily depicted in both film and television. Bearing that in mind, what could Peter Morgan do to keep fans of the series engaged and interested? It seems a hard question to answer, but as an advocate of the show, I will try to underline the highlights of these 10 episodes:
1. Prince Charles persona gets the best PR in years. If anything, Peter Morgan is a monarquist and a fierce defensor of its principles, what does not contradict that the actual royals get criticized for not safeguarding the institution. And this season has recaptured yet again what royal service means, and the rules that must be followed. However, the writer chooses to portray the Prince of Wales under a sympathetic light, a victim of the circumstances that did not allow him to marry the woman he has loved forever. Charles is presented as eager, dynamic, with good sense of humor, a man of its time... And to reinforce his good deeds, episode 5's final credits include the achievements of The Prince's Trust.
2. Princess Diana is at fault too. Surely, both Elizabeth Debicki and Domenic West will submit episode 9 as their entry for TV awards. The conversation they both maintain in the kitchen manages the spectators to feel for both of them: the looks, the silences, the tone, the smiles, the tears... reveal the drama that these two characters have bottled up for 16 years. To stress that these two people are no different from any other couple seeking divorce, the episode presents other marriages in mediation before their cases are sent to court. When the settlement is finally presented, there is press in the room, but the lines enunciated by the solicitors and the judge do not differ from what we have already heard in previous scenes. Yes, breakups happen, but this one has actual ramifications since the divorcee will become King one day, and for that reason scenes must be added to remind that Charles has put himself in a difficult position by breaking the rules. Probably, the only consolation is the revelation made by Diana in the lines of "I've been difficult too."
3. Princess Diana is a traitor. The same day that Prince William receives a lecture on Guy Fawkes night, coincidentally with its anniversary, Princess Diana shoots her famous (or notorious?) Panorama interview in secret. The episode mirrors a 17th century attack on the Monarchy with the accusations and allegations made by Lady Di in her ignited interview. Although she was tricked into talking with shameless reporter Martin Bashir, who fed into Diana's paranoia and fears, she decided to give very damaging quotes against the monarchy and the future King, what is portrayed as the lowest of the treacherous acts. Then, there they come the hints of the scorned woman in order to steal the thunder of the senior members of the royal family: the revenge dress on the same day that Charles gives his own interview, the announcement of her TV special on Charles' birthday, the airing of the show on the same day that the Queen celebrates her wedding anniversary. Can we all be sympathetic towards Diana? Not entirely.
4. Princess Diana is renegated by her son William. It might be the first time that a film or TV show has shown one of kids not at ease with Diana. Up until now the topic has been avoided all together, or she has been presented as this great mum (it might be in the back of our minds that moment when Diana, William, and Harry slide down on the water roller coaster, or when she enthusiastically greets and hugs them on board of a yacht). However, we are presented with the plausible circumstance that one of her sons does not want to hear about her mother's special friends. In fact, there is no scene when Diana tells her son about the interview; and when the kid is watching the show, he just abruptly leaves the room, disengaging from what is happening, ashamed. Instead, we see more of an interaction between grandmother and grandson. Although from different generations, William tries to update the Queen's television set by adding satellite channels. It all comes to a failure, because in the end, all the Queen wants is the traditional BBC, which are the values that she wants to transmit to the future king.
5. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip keep on going strong. After 40+ years of marriage, it is obvious that these two have evolved, and that they do not share many interests together. Nonetheless, who is to say that a couple needs to do everything together? Episode 2 "The System" seems to find the answer. While the Duke of Edinburgh surrounds himself with like-minded people setting up his own little court, and involves himself in horse-drawn carriage races, Queen Elizabeth is rarely seen with people, unless they are family members, but rather with horses and dogs. In fact, the episode finishes with what the marriage has come to terms to be: Phillip sits down in a desk to do some reading and studying, and Elizabeth is seem joyfully playing with her dogs. They both smile at each other. For him, she is the job; for her, he is her soulmate. Period.
6. Princess Margaret follows her decay. Actress Lesley Manville is a gem (if you haven't seen 2004 "North and South" or 2017 "Phantom Thread," they are highly appealing). "The Crown" has managed to cast top-notch actors to play the role of the Queen's sisters: when they leave you longing for more, you know that they might be doing something right. In this particular season, Margaret faces a ghost from the past: the love of her life comes back to say goodbye, just to remind her of what might have been, and to regret a decision based on duty, and privilege. No words are needed, a hieratical face expression concedes us sorrow, and one could only hope for a happier life for her.
7. Social climbing is not easy, specially in England. Why include a whole episode on the Al-Fayed family? It might puzzled the audience why so much background is needed for a relationship that Princess Diana had the last months of her life. However, stories intertwined in the most fascinated way. A young Mohammed Al-Fayed is seen as a young entrepreneur selling Coca-Cola bottles near a hotel where a younger former King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson are visiting. During that period of time, the couple meets a hotel employee that they hire as a valet. Years later, when Mohammed has made his fortune and buys the Ritz Hotel in Paris, he learns that money is not going to buy him the respect of high society, but he needs to learn how to properly behave as a gentleman. Fate has it that that former valet is now working at the Ritz, and even though the business man fires him for being black, he rescues the man and gives him a job, due to his own hypocrisy. Al-Faye's relentlessly works to make it into the highest form of society, the English; and just to get close to the Queen he buys Harrods store to secure a spot on an annual horse-show. However, when the day comes, does he get to sit next to the sovereign? No. He is being given another outsider: Princess Diana. What's the intention of this episode then? Maybe to sarcastically underline that one will never ever make it into the royal circle unless born inside of it. We are talking about a different breed of people, who in order to keep their status they need to stay above and afar. All in all, money is not the asset that makes royalty, and we need to understand that their values are not based on variables of the Western Modern Society.
8. Royalty is not as cruel and heartless as one might think. Episode 6 "Ipatev House" starts with a ballsy portrayal of the assassination of the Romanovs. Though it might generate discomfort, writer Peter Morgan chose to depict the event as realistic as possible to vindicate the lack of judgement and viciousness from the Bolsheviks in the execution of the Tsar family. At the start of the episode the narrative wants to create the suspense that cousins Windsors did not want to rescue their family in Russia as if they did not care less. Years later, when their remains are exhumed, Prince Phillip and his godson's wife begin an investigation on the matter only to find a rivalry between the Tsar's wife and Queen Mary (the Tsar's cousin's wife), and they reach to the conclusion that they decided not to rescue the Romanovs to avoid personal tensions. Far from the truth, a less bookworm Queen Elizabeth clarifies the political ramifications that saving the Russian royals could have had for the Windsors in England, and how distress Queen Mary was when she learned about the outcome. On the whole, here we have another example of Peter Morgan as an advocate for Monarchy: in order for the institution to survive one has to put Monarchy above all.
After spending some time thinking about this season 5, it seems that it might not be as obviously good as its predecessors: the further in time, the more legendary it can become. This season, however, asks us to put special attention on the subtleties, on how scenes relate one another, because creator Peter Morgan has his own agenda, and he just wants to share it with us.
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