The Crown is a drama series based on the Royal Family of Britain. One of the costliest shows ever made, The Crown is Peter Morgan’s outstanding creation. The show is said to be as historically correct as it can be, but Morgan maintains that he has retained an artistic edge over certain moments.
It beautifully encapsulates the nuances that run deep within the royal family and the world surrounding it, glaring at it. The four seasons perfectly highlight the toll that monarchy entails in the life of the heir, Queen Elizabeth. They address Queen Elizabeth’s reign, political interactions, and personal dilemmas. Throughout the series, the centrality of each episode keeps changing and revolving around different characters. This way, even though the consequent effect of events’ turnout is on the Crown, the modern-day viewers get a glimpse of how the world’s geopolitics get influenced. As opposed to the rosy picture which the civilians pin with the royalty, reality certainly shrouds the standard canvas.
From the series, viewers fathom how prestigious a position the royal family occupies in worldly affairs. The peculiar aspect of the global political system is that everything affects everything. By bringing in something as significant as the British royalty, every endeavour causes storms and tides.
From the very first frame, sacrifice remains an underwritten element in the lives of the family members. Each member is supposed to keep the nation above their selves. And that itself demands nuisance and unfairness — the lives of Prince Edward, Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, Prince Charles, and Princess Diana culminate these difficulties. Be it Prince Edward’s abdication and international disgrace or utter denial of love to Princess Margaret and Prince Charles or Prince Philip’s reluctance in assuming a secondary role — the decisions imposed by the royal society has, over the years, led to the metamorphosis of society. Hence, the descending compassion and empathy for these characters is only an eventuality.
We also get an insight into the relationship of the Crown with the Prime Minister, head of the executive. The Queen often restrains herself from forcing any unconstitutional stress on to the latter. But, when it comes to the security of her people, she necessarily exercises influence. From the show, when Churchill keeps the information of his health from the Queen, she gives him a dressing down. And later, to Eden too. Her political partnership and rivalry with Thatcher, the first woman Prime Minister, invigorated new nuances in the relationship forged. Time and again, the Queen concretised her duties whenever she required to. Hence, unlike how one would imagine, the monarchy reinforces stability in the world apparatus. It is pronounced multiple times in the show, as well, that by doing ‘nothing’, they provide stability to the country and, ultimately, the world. The family, therefore, must not base opinions out loud or pick sides even when the family exercises a great deal of influence over worldly politics.
Plucking a few moments from its fabric, Queen Elizabeth’s televised coronation portrays the Crown as an ever-evolving institution. It highlighted how imperative it was for the family to keep adapting to the changing times. The controversial decision on the part of Prince Philip walked the whole world through that glorious procession. Later, even when under immense public scrutiny and criticism, the Queen conceded to the advice of Lord Altrincham and implemented his solutions, awakening modernity into the institution.
The Royal Family of Britain has had a lacework of challenges nailed, too. When a bunch of historians uncovered a grave truth about Prince Edward, the American press published it, swirling yet another storm. Also, when Mrs Kennedy set herself as an inspiration for Queen Elizabeth, Her Majesty single-handedly changed the political course of a Southern continent. Amid rising nationalism in the country, Prince Charles’ speech applied balm on the rugged pride of Welsh folks. The tumultuous marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana — and their inadvertent yet self-styled, unhinged demonstrations of loneliness to the world — traced the whole of the fourth season.
One of the most commendable aspects of the series is the care with which they deal with sensitive subjects. For instance, in the fourth season, Princess Diana’s eating disorder was depicted with utter subtlety and attention. It anchored the required impact but was neither glamorised nor made frivolous.
The cast’s remarkability and prodigy demand sympathy for these characters, despite their tall-standing flaws and complexities. Each season heightens the senses for something extraordinary, revealing stunning storylines, drawing gasping parallels, and presenting revered humanness of it all.
Consequently, every act of the British royal family triggers more than it should, solely because of the stature it sits on. Every decision taken individually will have (mostly) direct consequences on the national and international frontiers. No facet, therefore, can be viewed in isolation; everything has roots running deeper than one would imagine. The Crown is a show made for all the aficionados of history, royalty, and staunch spectators of international dynamism.
