JULY 2023:
A QUEEN FOR ALL SEASONS…
Season 5 of The Crown continues its exploration of the British royal family during a period of significant change. The season delves into pivotal events, character developments, and societal shifts, all against the backdrop of a transforming world.
The fifth season of The Crown, which follows the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II, was released by Netflix on November 9, 2022. It was the first season of the series to be released following both the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on April 9, 2021, and the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022.
Imelda Staunton stars as Elizabeth, along with main cast members Jonathan Pryce as Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, Elizabeth’s younger sister, Jonny Lee Miller as John Major, Prime Minister 1990–1997, Dominic West as Charles, Prince of Wales, Elizabeth and Philip’s eldest child and the heir apparent, and Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales, Charles’s wife. All cast members are new to the series; this season marked The Crown‘s final wholesale recasting, following the ensembles led by Claire Foy (seasons one and two) and Olivia Colman (seasons three and four).
The fifth season covers the time period between 1991 and 1997, and is set during the premiership of John Major. Events depicted include Elizabeth’s annus horribilis in 1992, Diana’s Panorama interview, the separation and divorce of Prince Charles and Diana, Elizabeth’s state visit to Russia, the use of Prince Philip’s DNA to identify the remains of the Romanov family, the decommissioning of Britannia, the handover of Hong Kong, and Major’s departure from office and the beginning of Tony Blair‘s premiership.
EPISODES:
Title: “Queen Victoria Syndrome”
Directed By: Jessica Hobbs
Written By: Peter Morgan
Air Date: November 9, 2022
The season begins with the royal family grappling with the changing political landscape of the 1990s. Queen Elizabeth II, played by Imelda Staunton, faces challenges within the monarchy as societal attitudes shift. The episode introduces viewers to the growing tensions within the royal family and sets the stage for the conflicts that will unfold throughout the season.
Title: “The System”
Directed By: Jessica Hobbs
Written By: Peter Morgan
Air Date: November 9, 2022
This episode focuses on Prince Philip, played by Jonathan Pryce, and his relationship with Penny Knuchbull. The tensions between Prince Charles, played by Dominic West, and Princess Diana, portrayed by Elizabeth Debicki, become more evident, reflecting their strained relationship and the challenges they face.
Title: “Mou Mou”
Directed By: Alex Gabassi
Written By: Peter Morgan
Air Date: November 9, 2022
The episode captures 1946 Alexandria, Egypt, Coca-Cola street vendor Mohamed Al-Fayed briefly meets the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. In 1979, Mohamed, now a rich businessman, purchases the Hôtel Ritz Paris. Mohamed has his son, Dodi, dismiss black waiter Sydney Johnson at a reception, but rehires him after discovering he was the Duke of Windsor’s valet. Johnson teaches Mohamed British customs and etiquette. Mohamed purchases the Harrods store and becomes an executive producer of Chariots of Fire, which wins the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Title: “Annus Horribilis”
Directed By: May el-Toukhy
Written By: Peter Morgan
Air Date: November 9, 2022
This episode explores Princess Margaret receiving a letter from Peter Townsend and learns he will be in London for a veterans’ reception. The former lovers reunite, with Townsend saying that he plans to return the letters written during their relationship. A fire breaks out at Windsor Castle, destroying over one hundred rooms. Margaret tells Elizabeth she is still furious that she was not allowed to marry Townsend. During a luncheon marking her Ruby Jubilee, Elizabeth delivers a speech describing 1992 as an “annus horribilis“
Title: “The Way Ahead”
Directed By: May el-Toukhy
Written By: Peter Morgan
Air Date: November 9, 2022
Following Elizabeth’s decision to allow Charles and Diana to separate, the senior royals create an informal group of advisors to find ways to improve the monarchy’s image. The group comes up with only minor measures. A tabloid newspaper publishes transcripts of an intimate telephone conversation between Charles and Camilla from three years earlier. To improve his public image, Charles participates in an ITV documentary. Diana upstages him on the night of the premiere by attending an event in an outfit dubbed by the media as a “revenge dress“. Anne reports to the senior royals following a meeting with Charles, stating that he is emerging from the scandal stronger than ever and is setting up his own circle of advisors to work on The Prince’s Trust.
Title: “Ipatiev House”
Directed By: Christian Schwochow
Written By: Peter Morgan
Air Date: November 9, 2022
In 1917, King George V and Queen Mary are asked by the British government to support the dispatch of a warship to Russia to bring Tsar Nicholas II and his family to the United Kingdom. At Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg, the Romanovs are executed by local Bolsheviks. In 1992, the Queen receives Russian President Boris Yeltsin at Buckingham Palace. Yeltsin invites the Queen for a state visit to Russia. The Queen, pointing out that Yeltsin carried out the order to demolish Ipatiev House, makes it a condition for the remains of the Romanovs to be exhumed and reburied. Yeltsin agrees, and Prince Philip helps identify the remains through DNA profiling by providing his samples. On the state visit to Russia, Philip admits to the Queen that he has sought intellectual companionship elsewhere, the closest friend being Lady Romsey. The Queen invites Lady Romsey to make a public appearance alongside the royal family to dispel rumours of any impropriety.
Title: “No Woman’s Land”
Directed By: Erik Richter Strand
Written By: Peter Morgan
Air Date: November 9, 2022
Prince William begins attending Eton College. Diana struggles with her separation and the changing relationship with her son. Martin Bashir, a journalist for the BBC current affairs programme Panorama, gains the confidence of Earl Spencer, Diana’s brother. Diana meets the surgeon Hasnat Khan. William confides to the Queen that he sometimes worries about his mother. Earl Spencer introduces Diana to Bashir; Bashir persuades Diana to film an interview to tell her story in response to Charles’s documentary.
Title: “Gunpowder”
Directed By: Erik Richter Strand
Written By: Peter Morgan
Air Date: November 9, 2022
Diana and Khan continue their relationship. Bashir and his editor Steve Hewlett are given the go-ahead by BBC director-general John Birt to conduct the interview. Earl Spencer notes inconsistencies in Bashir‘s accounts and advises Diana to cease contact, but Bashir persuades Diana to continue. Bashir and his team film “An Interview with HRH The Princess of Wales“ under secrecy in Diana‘s flat at Kensington Palace on bonfire night. Reviewing the footage, Birt is stunned by the explosive content and has misgivings about letting it air, but does not terminate it. Diana informs the Queen of the interview in advance of its broadcast, which the Queen notes is on her and Prince Philip’s 48th wedding anniversary.
Title: “Couple 31”
Directed By: Christian Schwochow
Written By: Peter Morgan
Air Date: November 9, 2022
The Queen writes to Charles and Diana advising them to divorce. Diana deals with the fallout of the Panorama interview and the end of her relationship with Khan. With Charles and Diana unable to agree on settlement terms, the Queen asks Major to act as an intermediary. Charles engages the services of public relations executive Mark Bolland, who advises him to agree to terms so that Charles and Camilla can improve their public image. Charles and Diana agree on a settlement. Charles visits Diana at her flat, where the two nearly make amends before the conversation turns to their marriage, at which point they argue again, prompting Charles to storm out. A government worker finalizes their divorce paperwork; the episode ends with newsreel footage of Charles and Diana’s wedding.
Title: “Decommissioned”
Directed By: Alex Gabassi
Written By: Peter Morgan
Air Date: November 9, 2022
The Labour Party led by Tony Blair wins the 1997 general election by a landslide. With Blair making it clear that he will not fund a new yacht with taxpayers’ money, and his proposal for private financing rejected by the Queen, she decides to retire Britannia without replacement. Diana and her sons are invited by Mohamed Al-Fayed to a holiday in Saint-Tropez. Charles travels to Hong Kong to give a speech marking the handover of Hong Kong. After the handover ceremony, he meets Blair on Britannia to discuss modernizing the monarchy. Before the decommissioning of Britannia, the Queen returns to the yacht for a private farewell.
Each episode in the fifth season of The Crown contributes to the overarching narrative of a changing world, exploring the personal struggles, conflicts, and historical events that shaped the royal family during this period.
Overall, the season maintains the series’ trademark attention to historical accuracy, exceptional production values, and outstanding performances. It presents a multifaceted view of the royal family, exploring both their public roles and the intimate challenges they face as individuals, captivating viewers with its compelling storytelling and nuanced character portrayals.
The Crown is available now on Netflix…