‘The Crown’: A Hasty Look at Season 1 Finale

With Season 2 of the Netflix series round the corner, let’s take a quick look at the last two episodes of Season 1.

Photo Credit: Netflix

Season 1 ended on a very sad note; with Princess Margaret (Vanessa Kirby) and Group Captain Peter Townsend (Ben Miles) tearfully parting ways for good when they were not given permission to marry. The unfair reason was because Townsend was a divorced man, although the innocent party and any member of the Royal Family marrying a divorcee- at the time- was a big no-no.  

Princess Margaret & Peter Townsend Photo credit: Daily Telegraph

Those who read up on Princess Maggie’s post-Peter life would really feel for her because it was obvious Townsend was the man she would have been really happy with. But don’t judge Her Majesty too harshly. According to real facts, the Queen really tried to find some legal way her little sister would be allowed to marry Townsend. Things have changed pretty much marriage-wise in the Royal Family since then, but Maggie and Peter remains a great love that wasn't given a happy ending.

FYI, how come the Queen wasn't completely schooled about the Royal Marriage Act 1772 before she assured the couple they will be allowed to marry once Maggie clocked 25 years old? That was one thing that seemed rather out of place in that episode. Anyway, Peter and Maggie's break up was probably a huge blow to the uninitiated viewers. 

Meanwhile there was tension between the Royal couple, with Prince Phillip (Matt Smith)  chaffing under  the big changes they had to make after the death of his father-in-law and at the same time feeling he was living in his regal spouse’s shadow. Thus, he spent more time away from home and feels threatened by his wife's spending (platonic) time with her  close friend Lord Porchester, whom she affectionately referred to as ‘Porchie’. That is until she make it clear Phillip was the one man for her. While there seemed to be a truce between them after that firm but heartfelt statement, it was back to Square One after she asked him to open the Summer Olympics in Australia. Not sure if these marital problems were for real or simply placed in the show for dramatic effect, but surely His Royal Highness knew what he was getting into when he asked Elizabeth to marry him? 

Photo Credit: Netflix

And there was Anthony Eden (Jeremy Northam) who stepped in as Prime Minister after the elderly Sir Winston Churchill (John Lithgow) finally decided to resign. But apparently Eden doesn’t have the clean bill of health he insisted he had, as viewers saw him taking pills and then injecting himself with morphine. For those who don’t know what’s going on with him, his gall bladder operation wasn't successful hence was suffering from some nasty complications.

Season 2, airing on the 8^th of December, will pick up from where Season 1 left off; with the addition of new cast members, including Downton Abbey’s Matthew Goode, who will play Margaret’s husband (and eventual ex), society photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones, Lord Snowdon. And aside from the bigger rift between the Royal couple, the Queen will be saddled with more troubles, no thanks to Prime Minister Eden and later on MacMillan. 

Stay tuned. 

                                          Video Credit: Netflix

                                                              Video Credit: MsMojo