Queen Elizabeth at Queen’s Plate in Toronto.Photo: Chris Jackson / Getty Images
After six seasons,The Crowncame to anemotional conclusion. In the series finale, creator Peter Morgan’s acclaimed historical Netflix drama about theroyal familyended with a nod toQueen Elizabeth’s death and funeral — despite wrapping its timeline nearly two decades before the monarch’s death.
Queen Elizabethdied at age 96, after 70 years and 214 days on the throne.
The episode opens with the Queen attending anOperation London Bridgemeeting, which was the codename for the planning operations for her death first created in the 1960s and revised several times throughout her life. There, she is seen getting emotional as she overlooks a model of The Mall with military figurines depicting what her funeral day will look like.
“The talk of my funeral has stirred things up a bit,” she later tellsPrince Philip(Jonathan Pryce) before going to bed.
Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth.Justin Downing/Netflix
Justin Downing/Netflix
The next morning, the Queen calls upon her bagpiper, “Pipes,” to ask if he has any suggestions for “the music,” particularly “if there was a tune for the pipes [he] thought might work.” Upon her request, he suggests the traditional tune, “Sleep, Dearie Sleep,” which he then plays for her. She, as well as her staff, are then seen getting emotional as they reflect on the poignancy of the music.
Later in the finale, the Queen appears in a project room, where she watches footage from throughout her life, including actual footage of King George’s funeral and a photo of the Vigil of the Princes, which appears to show theiconic image of the three Queens of England— Queen Mary (the Queen Consort of King George V and the mother of George VI), Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (the Queen Consort of King George VI and the mother of Queen Elizabeth) and Queen Elizabeth — united in grief.
Afterward, Queen Elizabeth visits her stables, where she sees a vision of her younger self (withOlivia Colmanreprising her role from seasons 3 and 4). The vision points out that she could abdicate the throne, saying, “You’re almost 80 years old. No need to go on.”
From then on, there are rumors around the palace that Queen Elizabeth may step down, with her announcement to be made during Charles and Camilla’s wedding.
Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II in ‘The Crown’; Queen Elizabeth II at Clarence House in 2003.Netflix ; Anwar Hussein/Getty
Netflix ; Anwar Hussein/Getty
However, while writing her reception speech, the Queen has another vision of herself — this time withClaire Foyreprising the youngest version of the character from seasons 1 and 2. During this moment, the Queen is reminded that she took an oath to be the monarch for life. And when she wonders about “the woman [she] put aside” all those years ago, Foy’s character says, “Elizabeth Windsor is gone. You buried her years ago.”
After she makes her speech duringCharles and Camilla’s reception, Prince Philip praises her remarks and alludes that he’s proud she didn’t step down. He then urges her to be the Queen for as long as she can “because those that come after you are not remotely ready to take over.”
As the final episode comes to an end, Queen Elizabeth sees her coffin with the royal standard, regalia and flowers just like it happened in real life, in September 2022. As she takes the moment in,all three portrayals of the Queen— with Foy and Colman once again returning onscreen — are seen standing together before Staunton’s character walks away.
Olivia Colma, Imelda Staunton, Claire Foy in The Crown, Season 6.Justin Downing/Netflix
The Crown’s emotional conclusion — with reference to the events of September 2022 — came about when Queen Elizabeth died at age 96, duringproduction on season 6.
Initially, the decision had been made to end the series in 2005, which it still does, but Morganrevealed toVarietythat he was compelled to change direction as a result of her death.
“We’d all been through the experience of the funeral,” he said, referring to the services that took place on Sept. 19, 2022. “So because of how deeply everybody will have felt that, I had to try and find a way in which the final episode dealt with the character’s death, even though she hadn’t died yet.”
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At the time of the Queen’s death, production on the final episodes was temporarily shut down. “The Crownis a love letter to [the Queen] and I’ve nothing to add for now, just silence and respect, I expect we will stop filming out of respect too,” Morgan said in a statement at the time. Production on the Netflix serieswas also suspendedon the day of her funeral.
The Crownseasons 1 to 6 are now streaming on Netflix.
source: people.com
