The final season of The Crown appears caught between concluding existing storylines and charting a course for the future, ultimately culminating in a graceful exit.
The Queen and her descendants have woven captivating tales spanning decades, and the retelling of these narratives has unearthed the pain, complexities, and trauma experienced by the most powerful family on Earth. The moment of closure feels precisely right, as if the weight of history has dissipated by the end.
The delicate balance between tradition and modernity is skillfully portrayed, with the drama emerging from their potential clashes. While the pace may be measured and deliberate, there's an infectious and enchanting quality that keeps viewers engaged. The show's honesty toward these seemingly untouchable characters injects grit into their glory, humanizing the seemingly inhumane. It's worth celebrating how, throughout the seasons, we've witnessed the evolution of both a country and the world.
The decision to split the final season into two parts by the creators proves to be a wise choice. The first installment unfolds with a sense of urgency, delving into Princess Diana's experiences following her separation from Prince Charles, ultimately leading to her tragic demise in a car crash. The tabloid sensationalism of those events resurfaces in a later episode of Part 2 when Mohammed Al-Fayed unsuccessfully puts forth conspiracy theories about the crash, capitalizing on the narrative of rising anti-Muslim sentiment in the West post-9/11.
However, this development occurs deeper into Part 2. By this point, viewers have moved past Diana's storyline, which premiered a month earlier, and much like the characters in the British royal family, are eager to bring closure to that chapter for the sake of the boys. The two-part structure also facilitates the introduction of Ed McVey and Luther Ford as Prince William and Harry, respectively, despite their stories unfolding immediately after the end of Part 1.
William grapples with inheriting his mother's popularity and his father's weighty responsibility of being next in line for the throne, navigating the challenging space between these two colossal roles. Ed McVey delivers a standout performance in quieter moments, conveying a complex range of emotions through carefully crafted awkward smiles, restrained body language, and a natural twinkle in his eye.
Luther Ford, portraying Harry, embodies the more mischievous of the two brothers. He revels in playing the role of the younger sibling until a pivotal scene where he candidly expresses the suppressed frustration of being the 'spare.' "I have to screw up so that you can look good," he candidly tells William. Later he reassures William that, unlike their medieval namesake ancestors, he wouldn't betray him for the throne—a promise that William finds difficult to trust.
A subtle parallel is also established between the brotherhood of William and Harry and the enduring sisterhood of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. The two sisters share a connection spanning decades, and we see their younger selves enjoying a party as William and Harry would have done. As young girls raised in the British royal family during the early 20th century, their destinies bound them together more closely than anyone outside the palace.
Two stellar cameos by the younger Elizabeths, portrayed by Claire Foy and Olivia Colman in earlier seasons, serve to convey the queen's internal struggles. The younger Elizabeth reminds the 80-year-old monarch of her commitment to the crown, while the middle-aged portrayal transports her back to the sacrifices made as a mother. While we already know Queen Elizabeth II's decision, Imelda's poignantly powerful performance prompts an admiration-worthy response. To render an inscrutable figure transparent, make an impenetrable woman vulnerable, and transform an uptight monarch into an expressive character is a task that only a top-tier actor could successfully undertake.
As The Crown draws to a close and Elizabeth makes her final choices, this series has been illuminating and entertaining. Now is the right time to take a bow, and it is a well-deserved one.
