The highly anticipated next installment of “The Crown” has finally been released on Netflix. This Netflix-original drama chronicles the life of Queen Elizabeth ll from the 1940s to modern times. The series begins with an inside look at the early reign of the Queen, who ascended the throne at age 25 following the death of her father, King George Vl. As time passes, political rivalries and personal intrigues are exposed that play a big role in events that shaped the later years of the 20th century.
This season is set between the years 1977-1990. The main focal point of this season is Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ relationship, as well as Margaret Thatcher’s premiership. Most of the third season’s cast returned for season four, including Olivia Coleman as Queen Elizabeth ll, Tobias Menzies as Prince Phillip and Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margeret. A few new faces that you can expect to see this season include Emma Corrin as Princess Diana and Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher.
While this season isn’t necessarily fast paced or action packed, it does serve as an excellent binge worthy show, full of drama and intrigue.
Season three took viewers through the time period between 1964 and 1977, beginning with Harold Wilson’s election as prime minister and ending with the Silver Jubilee of the Queen.
The fourth season starts off with the meeting of Princess Diana and Prince Charles as well as the election of the first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher. It follows the rise and fall of Diana and Charles’ relationship, while also highlighting Diana’s struggle to adjust to her new life as a royal.
Diana has a seemingly happy life, but behind closed doors she struggles to adapt to her new life in the royal family and consequently develops a serious mental illness called Bulimia Nervosa. Cases like hers are not discussed enough and so the inclusion of this part of Diana’s life is very important in creating more conversation about this topic.
While Diana is adjusting to her new life as Princess of Wales, Charles continues to see Camila. This among other things causes their relationship to be problematic. There are certain aspects of Diana and Charles’ relationship, specifically the love triangle with Camila, that are dramatized to a certain extent.
When watching this show, it is important to keep in mind that while it is based off of real events and people, a portion of the things that happen are fictional and dramatized for entertainment purposes.
Another primary focus this season is Margaret Thatcher’s premiership. It is clear from the beginning that Elizabeth and Margaret are headed toward a strained relationship. Tensions rise when Thatcher brings the country to war over the Falkland Islands. The pair also disagree on whether or not British sanctions should move against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The drama portrays both the Queen and Thatcher’s lives as mothers as well.
The acting in this season, specifically Corrin’s, is outstanding. Princess Diana’s introduction in “The Crown” has been highly anticipated and Corrin does not disappoint. Corrin’s depiction of Diana is the highlight of the season. Corrin captures Diana’s young and charismatic spirit perfectly. Her portrayal of Diana’s drastic transformation from teenager to princess is executed flawlessly.
Once again, this Netflix-original succeeds in capturing these famous moments from british history in a way that is both entertaining and fascinating. Fans can expect season five to be released in 2022 with a new cast of actors.