Savoring the Opulence of "The Crown"--"Queen Victoria Syndrome"

The Netflix series marks its triumphant return in the first episode of the fifth season.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am a passionate devotee of The Crown, and I have been ever since Claire Foy dazzled us all with her almost uncanny ability to capture the mannerisms and the essence of the young Queen Elizabeth. I of course loved what Olivia Colman was able to do with the role, but I had to admit that the fourth season shuffled Elizabeth to the background to an extent that didn’t always help the story, which came increasingly to be more about Charles and Diana than anyone else. 

So, like a lot of other people, I went into the first episode of the fifth season with more than a little trepidation. Was it really possible for this venerable warhorse of a series to continue capturing the public imagination, particularly now that so many of its most important subjects–Diana, Prince Philip and, of course, Elizabeth II herself–have now left us? 

Well, let me put your mind at ease. The series is back in fine form and, while it might be a bit more stilted and heavy-handed in its approach–this first episode’s extended metaphor of the royal yacht Britannia is a case in point–there is still so much else to stick around for, beginning with Elizabeth herself, played in this season by the great Imelda Staunton.  

There is a sweetness to Imelda Staunton that is at times overshadowed by one of her most iconic and well-known roles: the nefarious, cruel, and cold-hearted Dolores Umbridge of Harry Potter. However, from the moment that she appears on-screen as Queen Elizabeth–her body split apart by the camera as she undergoes her annual physical examination–she manages to show us a more tender side of the Queen. Though she still keeps the same formal demeanor she has always had, there are occasional glimpses of warmth and vulnerability, particularly when it comes to both her continued physical and stamina and the fate of her beloved yacht, Britannia, which doubles as both her favorite residence and something of an extended metaphor for her own position as the sovereign. 

But there are sinister winds blowing in the UK, and the public seems to have turned against their sovereign, at least according to a poll publicized by one of the nation’s newspapers. This creates a bit of a stir in the Palace, with Prince Philip conspiring with others to keep the news from his wife. One person, however, sees a bit of reason for optimism in this particular bit of public polling. Prince Charles, chafing at the restrictions imposed by his seemingly never-ending status as the heir, yearns to have a more active role in the government. Dominic West brings an appropriate bit of gravitas to the role, rendering him into more than the cartoon that he so often seems in real life.  

Now, I do think that West is a bit miscast as Charles (aside from everything else, he is far too handsome to convincingly portray our new king). Nevertheless, what I appreciate about this series, and this season in particular, is its willingness to strike out in some new and interesting directions when it comes to Charles’ story. To be sure, it doesn’t shy away from his complicity in the breakdown of his marriage. This version of Charles is a bit of an asshole at times, and he is just as much to blame for the decline as she is. At the same time, it also shows him as a man of at least some principles and, in his meeting with the Prime Minister, he makes it clear that he genuinely wishes to conserve the traditions of which he is so found; he just doesn’t want to be bound by them.

However, as important as Elizabeth and Charles are to this first episode, it’s already clear that this is going to be a season that is more than ever about Diana and her struggles. There’s an elfin appeal to Elizabeth Debicki’s performance that I think is fitting, and she manages to capture so much of what made Diana so infinitely compelling and yet so equally infuriating. She barely speaks above a whisper, and every moment makes obvious how much she chafes at the limits imposed by being a part of the Royal Family and all of its hidebound mediocrity. 

And then, of course, there’s Jonathan Pryce, who steps in to play Prince Philip. There is almost uncanny physical resemblance between the two men, one which only becomes apparent once his season starts in earnest. Pryce brings a rather unexpected warmth to this character who, as we’ve seen in the previous two seasons, can be a bit of a prick (this is particularly true of Matt Smith’s interpretation of the character). Perhaps he’s just been softened and mellowed out by old age, but he seems a bit more genuinely fond and loving of his wife than he has in previous iterations, and he repeatedly defends her against those who insist that she is too old and out-of-touch to be an effective leader for the country. He dismisses as bunk the idea that she is suffering from “Queen Victoria Syndrome,” and I have to say that it’s rather nice to see this side of him for once. 

Some critics have taken this fifth season to task for shuffling Elizabeth to the background but, as always, I think it’s important to point out that this series is called The Crown, not The Queen. Yes, Elizabeth is obviously a key part of the series’ appeal, and I give a lot of credit to Staunton for doing such a fine job in bringing Elizabeth to life. 

That being said, I’m sure I’m not the only one who felt a bit of a twinge of melancholy at seeing Claire Foy during the opening scene, a reminder of just how much things have changed. By this time, 40 or so years on, the Royal Family as a whole has fractured and splintered in ways that seem almost irreparable. As the Prime Minister says, while the oldsters remain out of touch, the young are feckless and aimless. This season will, it seems, be about the inevitable clash arising from these two currents. 

I’m very pleased to get to spend more time with the series’ baroque opulence.