Imelda Staunton Ascends to the Royal Throne in “The Crown”
Imelda Staunton assumes the role of Queen Elizabeth in the popular Netflix drama “The Crown,” which has received criticism for its new season because it depicts a challenging time for the British royal family so soon after the late monarch’s passing.
The distinguished stage and screen performer, whose previous work includes “Vera Drake,” “Downton Abbey,” and “Harry Potter” movies, is in charge of a brand-new ensemble for season five of the Elizabethan royal drama, which is set in the 1990s.
Elizabeth herself referred to 1992, the late monarch’s 40th year in power, as her “annus horribilis” due to marital strife in the family, opposition from the general populace, and a fire at Windsor Castle.
The writers didn’t avoid any uncomfortable subjects because this period in the royal family’s life was so turbulent, Staunton told Reuters in an interview.
Two months after Elizabeth died and her son Charles ascended to the throne, season five is released on November 9. The separation of then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana is one of its key plotlines. Concerns regarding the show’s potential effects at the commencement of Charles’ reign have been expressed by certain royal commentators.
Others have urged Netflix to include a warning, condemning manufactured scenes and conversations, including actress Judi Dench.
The 87-year-old Dench wrote a letter to the London Times last month in which she expressed her concern that the award-winning programme was “more inclined to breach the lines between historical accuracy and vulgar sensationalism” as it reached the present.
“The Crown,” according to Netflix, is a “fictional dramatisation” that was motivated by actual events.
It seems a little patronising, in my opinion, to suggest that a disclaimer is necessary. The actor who plays Prince Philip, Jonathan Pryce, believes that after four seasons, everyone in the world is aware that this is a drama based on actual events.
“I believe the queen’s passing was close by,” People are still experiencing raw nerve endings and are feeling quite protective, according to Staunton. “I don’t believe any of this would be happening if this had been released two years ago. And it makes sense, of course it does.
Working on the series, Pryce, who previously played Pope Francis in “The Two Popes,” claimed to have developed a deeper understanding of Elizabeth and Philip.
And rather from being harmful or unpleasant, he added, “I think the audience will learn, as we as actors realised, how sensitive this production is towards the challenges that the royal family experienced at the time.”
