Of course I’m interested in the personal lives of the royal family that facilitated the colonisation of my country 200 years ago. Quite naturally, the worldwide hit show that spills the beans and serves us hot tea brewed with the well-hidden secrets of the British royal family is my favourite. Let’s admit – it’s one well made show.
The Crown on Netflix documents the life of Queen Elizabeth well from her teenage years to her old age. There’s some final episodes left to surface but the show has so far covered some truly incredible instances from the former Queen’s life in awe-inspiring detail. I cannot deny that some admiration towards the tenets of royalty is evoked by the show but I’ll hold back from displaying it for obvious reasons. The patriotism that Winston Churchill had towards his country and his queen, the death of Lord Mountbatten, the life of Prince Philip, the political tragedies and turmoil that the Queen lived through, the rise of Margaret Thatcher include some of my favourite phases of the show. However, I’m writing this only after the most awaited part was aired – the life and death of Princess Diana, the worldwide sensation.
I knew the world was obsessed with Diana but I didn’t really know why. And I don’t know now either; The Crown did not do a great job at showcasing why she was so beloved among common people. Some instances of her being braver and ‘more common’ than royalty don’t really do well to explain the level of obsession that I get to see on social media even today, decades after her death. It had a lot to do with how she was an unsuspecting, beautiful bride blindsided by a Prince for someone who was much lesser a charming personality than her, perhaps. I was truly curious about how the writers and makers would go about showcasing the story of Diana, a personality so closely connected to the royal family but a touchy topic as well. The makers, though haven’t shied away from making some harsh revelations about the royal family in the past, have steered clear of too much drama or from causing too much offense. Diana was a tough topic that challenged the balance.
They didn’t disappoint the viewers but The Crown doesn’t do too much justice to the memory of Diana either. Given their limitations, they’ve done their best and made Mou Mou and Dodi Fayed the bigger aspects of her life than anything/anyone else. Was that very much based on what truly conspired in Diana’s life during her final days, or was it a cleverly scripted distraction from her turbulent connection to the royal family, we could never know. What we can infer from the last three episodes is that Diana was perhaps surrounded and hounded by her admirers and haters alike to the point of suffocation. The paparazzi might as well have been eliminated from the face of mass media after what they did to her. It is sad and infuriating what they made of her personal life that she so desperately tried to protect and fix. What they aimed to achieve from it; from taking uncomfortable pictures of her behind windshields, they alone would know.
I can’t help but love the series. The story and the hot tea aside, it is incredible how the makers have recreated the lives of the royals to the point of perfection. The locations, costumes, actors, technology such as transport and communication, newspapers, and the protocols deserve all the praise in the world. Hands down, The Crown is among the most well made series in the world. For a lover of quality content, there’s no reason to miss this one.
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