If the second half of season five and part one of season six were about Princess Diana, part two of The Crown is all about Queen Elizabeth II, barring one episode on Prince William and him finding his voice post his mother's death. All the actors, Imelda Staunton, in particular, have unleashed exceptional acting prowess.
The finale of the series marks the end of an era; of how the British Royal family will be viewed in the coming days. After all, a lot changed since King Charles married the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla. Certain things went up and then downhill. The only actor who didn't have much to do was Meg Bellamy, who played Catherine Middleton.
The plot line touches upon the rise and fall of the then prime minister Tony Blair and how the popularity of the Queen wavered while Blair was at his peak. The absurdity of British royalty becomes a topic of discussion. Though the plot takes us through events spanning years, the episodes move seamlessly.
Ed McVey as Prince William and Dominic West as Prince Charles do a great job playing layered characters with complex lives. McVey captures the emotions of the conflicted prince quite well, as his anger oscillates between his popular mother and his up-tight, philandering father, whom he blames for his mother's death.
Prince Harry's timeline is conveniently left out-- and it could well be because the young monarch stepped down in 2020. Much controversy has ensued since then. The background score and theme music by Hans Zimmer go well with the storyline. The cinematography by Adriano Goldman, Ben Wilson, Rasmus Videbaek and Sophia Olsson sets the right tone.
All in all, the second half of the final season trumps it all.
The Crown Season 6, part two
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Stephen Daldry, May el-Toukhy, Alex Gabassi and Erik Richter Strand
Cast: Imelda Staunton, Meg Bellamy, Dominic West, Ed McVey, Luther Ford
