Despite occurring long before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s controversial departure from the royal family, the final season of The Crown managed to deliver a timeless jab at the former couple.
In the first episode of season 6, Queen Elizabeth II, portrayed by Imelda Staunton, engages in a meeting with Tony Blair, played by Bertie Carvel, at Buckingham Palace.
During this encounter, Blair sheds light on Princess Diana’s philanthropic endeavors following her divorce from King Charles.
He conveys Diana’s desire to retain her HRH (Her Royal Highness) title in order to effect change on a broader scale.
However, the queen, maintaining her composure, asserts that the Princess of Wales cannot be a part-time royal.
“I would say it’s hard to be half in anything, you’re either in or out,” she expresses.
The crafty sequence of dialogues subtly draws a parallel between Diana’s struggles and the Sussexes’ departure.
Royal author Henry Wong, writing for Esquire, critiques this scene, deeming it somewhat mean-spirited.
He argues that it attempts to draw unsavory connections between Diana’s fate and the experiences of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Wong believes that such a approach does not contribute to good drama.
While The Crown has never been known for its subtlety, moments like these have the potential to undermine the entire series, which relies not only on our interest in the institution but also on the individuals within it.
Part 1 of Season 6 of Netflix’s The Crown was released on November 16th, focusing primarily on Princess Diana’s relationship with Dodi Fayed leading up to their tragic car crash on August 31st, 1997.
Part 2 shifts the focus to Prince William and his blossoming romance with Catherine Middleton, now the Princess of Wales.
While the spotlight remains on William and Kate in the final installment, royal expert Tessa Dunlop suggests that the show’s emphasis on William helps contextualize Harry’s feelings of being overshadowed.
In January 2005, Prince Harry attended a birthday party with a “Natives and Colonials” theme, where guests dressed in various costumes.
Harry chose to wear a desert uniform from General Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps, complete with a prominently displayed swastika armband.
The Afrika Korps was a German expeditionary force during World War II’s North African Campaign, aimed at maintaining Italy’s territorial gains in the region.
General Rommel, a prominent figure in Nazi Germany, gained post-war popularity and even inspired the “Rommel myth.”
The swastika, as the main symbol of the German Nazi party, is banned in several countries.
Aware of the implications, Kate suggests in Season 6 Episode 10 of The Crown that Harry at least cover up the offensive symbol.
The photograph of Prince Harry in the Nazi costume made headlines in The Sun, sparking significant backlash and anger, particularly within Jewish communities.
The timing of the party, just two weeks before the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz, where over a million Jews were murdered, further intensified the outrage.
Despite the controversy, Harry retained his place at Sandhurst, the Royal Military Academy.
The Crown Season 6 portrays this as a result of intervention by Prince Philip.