Sympathy for the Crown

Monarchy —

For an American, the idea of anything but a Constitutional Republic is inconceivable. I can however, as a Catholic, understand hierarchy in the sense of Sacred Order and with that said, I see Peter Gordon’s 2016 netflix series ‘The Crown’ in a different light or perhaps the way he intended it. As with any good drama, both light and shadow must be cast on the existence of the characters and what can seem to be shallow mockery at times of Royal protocol and stoic englishness is balanced by a nostalgia and a respect for the dignity and consistency that the Sovereign has always represented.

“This is not the real world” whispers Prince Philip to his son Charles. He is the voice of those on the outside, but let’s go inside: I am a late guest, (four years late) arriving to this 3 Season long netflix endeavor but delighted, nonetheless, to have been invited. Be prepared, by the way, as an American to have an online wikipedia window open on your phone or better yet a real encyclopedia to put your glass of wine on as you periodically test your knowledge of British Royal history. “Efficiency and Dignity” the two pillars of Royal Society are the Cabinet and the Sovereign and they are married by the officiator of trust. This is complex and something to grapple with since the separation of Church and State but certainly intriguing.

Human flaws adorn every state of life and God rains on both the righteous and the sinner. The series has plenty of material to fill this out but I am more interested in the paradox of a Royal Queen; the strength it took to handle this state of life. Claire Foy who plays Queen Elizabeth II commands her role with a scepter. Brilliant, coy, shy, deep, cold, warm, empathetic… at once plain and then soul searching. (I took a workshop with the great Ben Kingsley who said about a strong actor, you should be able to see the character thinking even from the back of their head). She accomplishes this in many scenes.

There is a defining moment in the early episodes where Peter Morgan has Queen Elizabeth read a paragraph from John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. This brief vignette sets the stage for how Elizabeth’s role will play out as she navigates the duties of the Crown and having to reconcile the ability to make judgments with practicing charity and mercy. I don’t believe this Christian overlay is sardonic as can often be the case with post modern film and television. One could easily deduce that The Crown is making a parallel between the Court being out of touch as much as the Church being out of touch by anyone out of touch with the Church, but it is to me if I interpret the writing correctly and intuitively, an intentional reacquaintence with the tenants of christian charisma seen through the eyes of a young Queen Elizabeth, inquisitive and wanting to find the soul that is deeply buried underneath her privileged duty.

By a single side glance or the subtle opening and closing of her lips, the actress (Claire Foy) conveys an internal conversation about the duality of humanity and divine calling. We understand her immediately and feel for her state in life. She wanted a private life, a simple life undisturbed by the expectations of being a Queen and the burden of moral judgment. One thing remains and keeps her steadfast to the Crown: the love for her Father, King George VI, a good King and the most momentous reasoning~a divine call. There is a very moving foreshadowing scene of the crowning of her father King George VI getting ready for the anointing of oil over his head and hands. Steps away, we see the little Elizabeth looking on with admiration and love and perhaps prophetically.

Her hands are now anointed with oil. She receives her fate with trepidation and charity for a people she will serve and equally suffer under through criticism of being old fashioned and behind the times. She re educates herself in order to walk with diplomats and prime ministers and negotiates with heads of states and foreign leaders. Her relationship to her husband, Prince Philip, is equally ridden with complication and the young couple in this version make compromises and struggle over eachother’s role within their royal marriage. Prince Philip plays the Queen’s conscience and Devil’s advocate and is played with comic abandon by actor Matt Smith.

No stone is left unturned in the course of an Empire’s history: Colonization, slavery, abdications, chasms and brushes with Nazi Germany, to name a few and these ghosts manifest themselves through memory as we spy on them with a 21st century lense. Aware of theses ghosts she fleshes out her role within the structure of the Crown and exhorts the higest of female genius. By her self restraint and renounciation of individuality she finds her greatest freedom and personhood, anquored as a great Mariner. Princess Margaret, her sister played by (Vanessa Kirby) portrayed as the sassy, free, egoist who questions the purpose of Royal life and traditional institutions, pales next to her and you see that her individuality and her disdain for tradition creates the opposite effect : she is lost at sea.

Did I get this right? If not toss this review but if i did get it right consider seeing that every side has it’s humanity and a place in history. You could choose to see the Queen and pity her as a disconnected royal archetype aloof to the world outside the palace walls or you might see in her a valiant missionary wanting to win souls and breaking down walls of flesh to do it.