Diez duras realidades de volver a ver The Crown una década después

by

Durante la segunda mitad de la década de 2010, The Crown fue el drama más popular de Netflix. Ofreció un retrato convincente de la Gran Bretaña moderna a través de la historia de la familia real, combinando precisión histórica con actuaciones cautivadoras. El programa se centró en la vida personal y el gobierno inquebrantable de la reina Isabel II y recibió elogios constantemente en sus primeras temporadas.

Diez años después de su exitoso debut en Netflix, la representación detallada y dramática de Peter Morgan de la familia real ahora se ve de manera más crítica. Si bien sigue siendo uno de los mejores programas de televisión históricos jamás realizados, la forma en que presenta los acontecimientos históricos no está exenta de defectos.

En sus dos últimas temporadas, The Crown parece haberse alejado de su enfoque original de explorar la Gran Bretaña del siglo XX a través de la familia real y, en cambio, se centra más en historias sensacionalistas y chismes. Desafortunadamente, este cambio ha dañado la reputación general del programa, aunque aún se destaca como una de las pocas series de Netflix que rivaliza con la calidad de la programación original de HBO.

When rewatching The Crown, the most unsettling aspects aren’t the inaccuracies, but rather how accurately it portrays events – and how shocking those true events actually were. These moments really make you think about what happened and why.

10. The Crown Contains Key Historical Inaccuracies

It’s well known that The Crown takes creative liberties with historical events. For example, Winston Churchill didn’t actually have a personal secretary named Venetia Scott who died during the Great Smog of London, as shown in the first season. Similarly, Dodi Al-Fayed never proposed to Princess Diana before their tragic deaths, a storyline featured in season six.

To heighten the drama, the series makes changes to the complex relationship between Charles, Camilla, and Diana, including shifting the timing of key events. While some compression of events and character development is expected in a historical drama, The Crown often deviates from historical accuracy, which concerns many historians.

9. The British Monarchy’s Real Role Is Highly Controversial

I’ve been watching The Crown, and beyond all the royal spectacle and family drama we expect, the show really opened my eyes to something I hadn’t considered before. It highlights a surprisingly hidden aspect of what being a British monarch actually means. As the Queen herself puts it in one episode, a huge part of the job is essentially to remain neutral – to ‘do nothing and stay silent at all times.’ It’s a fascinating, and somewhat unsettling, look at the constraints of the role.

This becomes clear when a constitutional crisis occurs, like the one depicted in the show involving Winston Churchill’s secret illness and his inability to continue as Prime Minister. Later, in season 3 of The Crown, the full scope of the monarch’s power is shown.

Powerful individuals connected to the British establishment, including Lord Mountbatten, a relative of the Queen, reportedly plotted a coup against the government of Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Their plan involved using the unique powers reserved for the monarch. While this sounds like a fabricated story that could damage the reputation of a respected institution, evidence suggests it actually happened.

8. Prince Philip’s Early Years As A Royal Were Mired In Scandal

The final season of The Crown concludes with a poignant exchange between Jonathan Pryce, as Prince Philip, and Imelda Staunton’s Queen Elizabeth. Philip tells the Queen, “We’re a dying breed, you and I,” reflecting on their shared, unwavering dedication to the monarchy over many decades. Interestingly, the show initially portrays Philip as someone who often disregarded his royal obligations.

Early in his public life, Prince Philip was observed making fun of tribal leaders during an official trip. Over the years, he became known for heavy drinking and having numerous affairs with the help of his aide, Michael Parker. Later, he was even linked to a government scandal involving a suspected Soviet spy. Ultimately, Philip wasn’t known for being reserved or self-controlled.

7. British Colonialism Was A Prominent Part Of Queen Elizabeth II’s Reign

One reason The Crown is a standout historical drama on Netflix is its willingness to show difficult and sometimes troubling aspects of the British monarchy. It’s easy to think of Queen Elizabeth II’s time as separate from Britain’s history of colonialism, but the show doesn’t shy away from connecting the two.

Year(s) Colonial Revolutions During Queen Elizabeth II’s Reign
1952–1960 Malayan Emergency (Malaysia)
1952–1960 Mau Mau Uprising (Kenya)
1954–1959 Jabel Akhdar War (Oman)
1955–1959 EOKA Movement for Independence (Cyprus)
1956 Suez Crisis (Egypt)
1957–1961 Sierra Leone Independence Movement (Sierra Leone)
1959 Nyasaland Uprising (Malawi)
1963–1967 Aden Emergency (Yemen)
1964–1979 Rhodesian Bush War (Zimbabwe)

This view overlooks the battles for independence that many colonies fought during the Queen’s reign, a topic The Crown doesn’t avoid. The show not only depicts the royal family’s discomfort with the end of the British Empire, but also features an entire episode about the Suez Crisis, a key moment in Egypt’s fight for freedom from British and French control.

6. The Monarchy’s Attitude To Romantic Relationships Was Extremely Oppressive

In the final seasons of The Crown, Princess Margaret reconnects with Peter Townsend, the man she was forbidden to marry by the Queen earlier in the series. This heartbreaking storyline has shaped Margaret’s character throughout the show and closely reflects what happened in her actual life.

Watching the later seasons of The Crown, I was struck by how the show kept drawing connections between Charles and Camilla’s struggles and the story of Princess Margaret – and even further back, Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. It really hit home that, for a long time, it seemed like finding genuine love was almost impossible within the royal family. The series makes a powerful point that romantic happiness wasn’t exactly a priority for the Windsors until fairly recently.

5. King Edward VIII Was Dangerously Close To Nazism

While The Crown sometimes takes creative liberties with historical events, the show accurately portrays King Edward VIII’s connections to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi government in Germany. Both Edward and his wife, Wallis Simpson, were well-known for being supportive of the Nazi regime.

Edward strongly disliked Jewish people and openly admired Nazi Germany, even visiting the country as an honored guest in 1937 and exchanging letters with top Nazi officials during the war. Many believe his support for the Nazis – which was widely known among Britain’s elite – was a major reason why he was pressured to give up the throne in 1936.

4. King Charles Had An Incredibly Difficult Childhood

The TV show The Crown doesn’t just depict Prince Philip as unfaithful or badly behaved when he was young. It also portrays him as a stern and emotionally distant father, particularly towards his son Charles. He often criticizes Charles, seeing him as weak, and doesn’t offer support during the difficult time Charles spends at the strict boarding school, Gordonstoun.

The Queen doesn’t offer much support to Charles to balance out the strictness he experiences from Prince Philip. She often shows her own conflicted emotions about him, likely due to his future role as king, and doesn’t provide comfort when he’s struggling.

Queen Elizabeth was reportedly unhappy with how The Crown depicted her as a mother, and it’s understandable why. However, historical records actually support the show’s portrayal of her relationship with young Prince Charles.

3. Class Divisions Run Deep In Britain

Beyond depicting the lives of the royal family, The Crown also shows every British Prime Minister who served during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, from 1952 to 2005. The show is quite political and quickly highlights the divisions between different social classes in Britain.

In season 2 of The Crown, Queen Elizabeth’s speech to factory workers is misinterpreted as being snobbish. Later, in season 3, she deals with strong disapproval while visiting the site of the Aberfan disaster. However, one of the most striking examples of public frustration shown in the series is the real story of Michael Fagan, a struggling tenant who broke into the Queen’s bedroom at Buckingham Palace.

2. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s First Relationship Now Looks Even Worse

Before his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew had a relationship with actress Koo Stark, which is depicted in season 4 of The Crown. Their relationship appeared normal for two consenting adults at the time.

The fact that Koo Stark first became well-known for a controversial role raises serious questions about her relationship with Andrew. She starred in the 1976 film Emily, playing a young 17-year-old who is manipulated by older men, and the film’s plot is deeply troubling when considered alongside their connection.

1. The Crown Is A Very Different Show In Later Seasons

It’s disappointing to see the Rotten Tomatoes score for The Crown drop in its final season, especially considering the show’s importance in the history of streaming television. However, if the earlier seasons were rightfully praised, the criticism aimed at seasons five and six was also fair.

By its final seasons, The Crown wasn’t as compelling as it once was. While the show continued to boast beautiful costumes, sets, and strong acting, the later storylines didn’t have the same depth as earlier seasons, which skillfully explored the intricate relationship between the Queen and her nation.

2026-05-12 20:11