Review of Crown

The Crown introduced viewers to the world of British Royal Family and the events that took place
bring in front of us the challenges that Queen Elizabeth II faced in the early years on the throne.

Crown covered the period from just before the death of King George VI, a young princes
Elizabeth marries Prince Philip. The wedding held at Westminster Abbey in great ceremony and
princes took oath to obey her consort, but that was too much controversy. The couple moved to
Malta where Philip has been posted as an officer of the Royal Navy. They have two children
Charles and Anne. In 1951 they returned to London when she came to know that her father is to
undergo lung surgery. Meanwhile, Winston Churchill holds the office of Prime Minister for
second term after his six years of labor party government.

In 1952 due to King George VI worsen health Elizabeth and Philip tour the Common Wealth on
behalf of him. It finally took place King George VI dies in his sleep. The episode perfectly captures
how the news of his death spreads throughout the country. Elizabeth and Philip returned to London
for the funeral. King George’s dishonored brother, the Duke of Windsor who abdicated as King
Edward VIII in 1936 in order to be able to marry American Divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson
when arrived in London for the funeral got a frosty reception from his now estranged family who
still were angry for his choice of love over family and British throne.

Queen Elizabeth starts planning her Coronation but Churchill wants to delay it. With Elizabeth in
a new role, Philip tries to assert some power. Elizabeth meet with Winston Churchill and ask him
to help her convince the cabinet to let her name her children Mountbatten-Windsor, after her
spouse name but the cabinet refused to accept it. She too requested to allow her family stay in
clearance House, but after receiving advice from Edward she agree to move into Buckingham
Palace. Further Crown depicts dense smog cripples London for days and created serious health
hazards, Winston Churchill inaction and calling phenomenon as “Act of God” leaves him
vulnerable to his political enemies. There was a definite feeling of his tenure coming to an end.
Queen Elizabeth was pressured by her advisors to ask Churchill to step down. Queen summons
Winston Churchill for private meeting as he refuses to discuss smog at a Cabinet meeting. Before
meeting could held, at the last moment he realizes the devastating effects of smog in the wake of
his secretary Venetia Scott’s death and he finally promised to put measures for coping such
strategies in future.

Queen Mary, Elizabeth grandmother, dies. The Duke of Windsor returns to London only to be
told that he could not attend Elizabeth’s Coronation. Philip was given the task of planning the
ceremony and he decided to have it televised. However clash was viewed between Elizabeth and
Philip that he had to kneel before his wife. But when it comes to the big televised day, Philip does
indeed swallow his arrogance and kneels before his wife. Elizabeth II was crowned on June 2,
1953 in a ceremony. Philip find himself increasingly incompetent by his wife and must bend to
her will as convention dictates.
Along with Queen’s marriage problems, her sister Margaret add to her woes, she asked her
permission to marry Group Capt. Peter Townsend whose previous marriage ended in divorce.
Member of Royal household, Lascells (Elizabeth private secretary and Queen’s mother) are
opposed to it. The press reported that Margaret was having a dalliance with married man, Peter
Townsend and after breaking this news public became more fascinating. Queen tells princess
Margaret she must wait until her 25th Birthday, because of the Royal Marriages Act 1772. While
Margaret was in Sothern Rhodesia, Peter Townsend was sent to a government post in Brussels
in order to appease the government and hope for a marriage down the line.

As the Soviet test the H-bomb, Winston Churchill was asked with International summit with US
president Dwight D. Eisenhower. Both Churchill and Eden (foreign secretary) had major health
crises; following health problem Churchill postponed meeting with US president. Later Churchill
gets the palace to invite Eisenhower. Felling unprepared for a state dinner with world leaders,
Elizabeth hired a private tutor to help her enhance her education.

Queen Elizabeth II and Philip setoff on a six month tour of the commonwealth, Margaret took
over some of royal engagements including visiting a coalmine. The queen mother traveled to
Scotland, where she decided to buy a Castle. Meanwhile the relationship between Queen and
Philip became more alarming as they struggles to maintain balance between royal duties and
family life, Elizabeth loved horse racing and begin spending more time with her horse racing
manager as well as her friend to whom she called porchey in affectionate. Philp spend most of his
time in clubs where he was used to drunk and often arrived home late at night and Elizabeth
pretended that he is totally unaware of the Philip acts. At another moment it was seen Elizabeth
threw objects at her husband which was captured by photographer later Elizabeth succeeded in
convincing media to destroy footage.

Churchill celebrated his 80th birthday Graham Sutherland painted a portrait of Churchill which
was gifted by parliament but when the curtain was removed from portrait it was applauded by the
viewers but Winston on the one hand became more annoyed as it depicts him old frail man on
the other hand concluded that he must resign. Queen attended his farewell dinner at 10 Downing
Street. Anthony Eden became new Prime Minister. Furthermore when he assumed the office of
Prime Minister he gets into the crises over the ownership of Suez canal with Egypt’s president
Gamel Abdul Nasser. After awaiting two years Princes Margaret was informed that he she can
marry peter Townsend but if she married against queen’s advisory council she would lose herself
and her children all rights of succession and all privileges. Queen Elizabeth II was forced by
parliament, Cabinet and the Church of England to ban the marriage despite of her promise with
Margaret that she can marry Peter Townsend. Margaret ends the relationship. By her sacrifice she
helped to avert threatened clash between State and church and she strengthened the position of
Monarchy.