The first half of The Crown’s sixth and final season covers, as you might expect based on where the series left things at the end of season five, the final weeks of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s life before their tragic death in Paris as well as the immediate aftermath of the tragedy. Alas, it appears Peter Morgan didn’t take my advice from my season five review to simply have a title card redirect viewers to take a look at his 2006 film The Queen (also available to stream on Netflix!) following the close of the season’s third episode (which closes with the crash) – a move that would have surely saved Netflix a bit of cash and would have saved us a rehashing of a story Morgan has already told. But, the three episodes leading to an exploration of the aftermath of Diana’s death – and its impact on not only the Royal Family but the public at large – offer us a deeper look at the insanity, pressure, and the complete lack of understanding the the Queen and various other members of the Royal Family had when it came to the dangerous cocktail that was brewing surrounding Diana (the paparazzi presence is constant, the crushing press of fans and fortune seekers oppressive, and the lack of her own voice is apparent throughout the episodes). But, while the series pushes a bit against the idea that the Royals were relatively blameless in Diana’s ultimate fate, Morgan continues to present a fairly positive, rather toothless look at the Royal Family as they enter their final Netflix chapter.
If there’s a villain to be had in this first portion of season six, it is, without a doubt, Mohammad Al Fayed (Dodi’s father), who is presented as a Svengali trying to manipulate a marriage between his son and Diana, in hopes of achieving the acceptance and place in British society he felt was due to him. A man who, even when he has lost his eldest son, is still under the delusion that it will bring him closer to the Royals. In fact, after the villain edit Mohammad is provided, it’s incredibly hard to muster sympathy for a character who was so eager to push his son in the direction he wanted at the expense of his son’s happiness, even as he mourns his death.
And if there’s a hero, well, that appears to be Prince Charles (Dominic West, still miscast in the role), who is provided with a shockingly generous portrayal throughout the season. We see Charles reconcile with Diana, we see him try to get through to his boys, we see him crying over Diana’s body. We see him desperately trying to get the Queen to accept Camilla. We see Charles yelling at the Queen and Prince Philip, demanding they recognize Diana’s loss as a loss for the entire Royal Family. There’s even a fantasy sequence that sees Diana thank Charles for how he mourned her. It’s a deeply strange choice in making Charles the emotional center of so much of the dramatic action of this section of the season, especially considering that – at least in the States – the public opinion of Charles certainly continues to lag behind Diana, even decades after her death. But, it appears Morgan wanted to buffer the new King and provide him with a very generous edit – and thus we are asked to see Charles as the good one, the member of the family who wants to do right by Diana and his sons (which, considering some of the tales that came out of Prince Harry’s memoir earlier this year, well, seem a tad suspect now).
The point of view that is strikingly missing throughout much of the season is, however, that of the one wearing the crown. Perhaps it is in deference to The Queen, where Morgan offers a complex look into the late monarch’s reaction to the death of Princess Diana, but we see precious little of Imelda Staunton’s Elizabeth this time around. And, when we do get time with her, she’s spending her time avoiding emotional engagement and failing to see how the times are changing around her (a central theme of The Queen, as it so happens). Along with very little Elizabeth, Philip (Jonathan Pryce, showing us the late Duke of Edinburgh’s staunch refusal to kowtow to the whims of the public, even when it’s a grievous error in PR) and Princess Margaret (Lesley Manville, once again wasted) get little to do. I am happy to report that Princess Anne (a delightful Claudia Harrison) is offered significantly more screen time this go-round, appearing as Charles’ sounding board at key moments and providing some fun bon mots.
Aside from the strange narrative choices made by Morgan in laying out this story (parts of it, for the second time), the series remains a gorgeous work of art. The craftsmanship of the sets, costumes, and general production design are incredible. The performances are strong – despite the miscasting of West, Elizabeth Debicki shines as Diana and Khalid Abdalla offers an interesting take on Dodi that paints him as both a victim of his father’s machinations and a willing participant (to a point). And if you have stuck around with the series thus far, there’s no reason to jump ship while the story is in its home stretch. When it returns for its final installment in a few weeks, we will, presumably, say goodbye to several characters (the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret’s deaths are looming in the immediate future) and hello to a future queen with the arrival of Kate Middleton on the scene. But, for these four episodes, it’s Diana’s story – even if Charles ultimately gets to be the hero of the hour.
The Crown’s sixth season premiered on November 16 on Netflix with four episodes. The remaining six episodes will premiere on December 14.
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