The moment so many have been waiting for: the introduction of Camilla Shand. Not only that but we are given a true farewell to the Duke of Windsor, and a second strong look at Princess Anne this episode. And because I didn’t make this point in my recap of “Bubbikins,” when a teenage Anne first stepped into the frame, Erin Doherty’s portrayal of the Queen’s daughter may be one of the series’ most on-point performances.
So, here we are – Season 3’s seventh episode and we are still squarely in 1969. Indeed, the events depicted here overlapped with several of those from the fifth and sixth episodes in the real world, which I suppose explains why they’ve moved around the timeline…except that I’m still not a big fan of how they did so. Anyway, after drama focused around Elizabeth, Earl Mounbatten, and Charles, we are now circling back to Philip. And his mid-life crisis, except he can’t quite bring himself to use those words.
Season 3’s sixth episode begins to answer the question of how sympathetic the show intends to be towards a more adult Prince Charles. So far, that answer is “very.” The episode’s title is Welsh for “Prince of Wales,” fitting given that it covers Charles’s investiture in July 1969, as well as the three months leading up to the ceremony during which he lived in Wales.
I thought while I was watching this episode it would end up my least favorite from the season, but the last scene between Earl Mountbatten and Princess Alice helped salvage it…and there’s another one later on that I ended up liking more. Still, this episode is the first true dud for me, because it once again distorts what actually happened to serve a purpose that I’m not really needed serving.
The 2019 Royal Variety Show is officially underway! This particular event has been happening annually since 1912, with the proceeds donated to the Royal Variety Charity, which supports elderly or ill members of the entertainment industry. The Queen herself is patron, however a royal presence at the show is often delegated to another member of the family in honor of George V and Queen Mary’s presence in its inaugural year.
Continue reading “William & Kate Attend the 2019 Royal Variety Show”
For those who missed the recaps of the first three episodes, you can catch up here, here, and here. With that, let’s get into this season’s fourth episode, “Bubbikins,” which covers an event I had completely forgotten about when predicting what would be shown this year: the Royal Family documentary. The episode merges three separate events that actually occurred: a poorly received interview by Philip, the filming and release of a two-hour special on the Royal Family, and the arrival of Philip’s mother, Princess Alice, at Buckingham Palace.
So, I lied – instead of posting this tomorrow morning, I decided to make this a three-post day. Happy Sunday and all that. Now: This season’s third episode will likely be among those that sticks out from the rest. It covers a real tragedy that occurred in Wales in October 1966 when the spoil tip (accumulated waste from coal mining) in Aberfan, Wales collapsed, slid down a slurry, and killed 144 people, 116 of which were children due to the debris hitting a nearby junior school. This episode begins by showing the disaster itself, but the majority of it covers the fallout for the British government, including its Head of State.
And so we have our first real Margaret-focused episode of the season, however the real focus is not yet on her marriage (though we are given a bigger glimpse), but on her relationship with Elizabeth. The inherent inequality of their stations is a theme the show has covered since its first season. Indeed, this particular situation – Elizabeth looking on jealously while Margaret shines – isn’t anything new; an earlier iteration of it exists via the episode, “Pride & Joy.”
After a nearly two-year gap, here we are again, convened for royal super bowl. For those who missed it, there’s a post from yesterday that level-sets where we left off in The Crown’s Season 2, so let’s get straight into it. It’s still 1964 in this season’s premier, but we are introduced to a new cast of characters who will carry us through the next two seasons. The show acknowledges this via the cold open, which has Olivia Colman’s Elizabeth reviewing new stamps bearing her image, the more updated sitting side-by-side with one featuring Claire Foy.
One benefit to a recent cold snap we’ve had is that it’s given me plenty of time to re-watch Season 2 of the The Crown in anticipation of this weekend. While I think I have watched it since its premier two years ago, I honestly can’t remember when that was, so it’s been a minute and was definitely necessary for re-acclimating myself to where we left off with the characters. I also went back and re-read my wrap-up of the second season, and, well, apparently I was quite displeased with the lack of character development the show focused on its central figure: the Queen(!)
