On Nov. 16, the first part of the final season of “The Crown” was released on Netflix. This season delves into the post-divorce life of Princess Diana. Episode one, titled “Persona Non Grata,” opens with the tragic Paris tunnel car crash that claimed the lives of both Diana and her boyfriend at the time, Dodi Al-Fayed. This unexpected start sets a somber tone for the season, keeping viewers on the edge about how and when the tragic moment will unfold as it recounts earlier events of her life.
The episode then picks up with Diana on a vacation in St. Tropez with her sons while navigating a complex relationship with Dodi. Mohamed Al-Fayed, Dodi’s father and Diana’s close friend, schemes to unite them in marriage despite Dodi’s engagement to model Kelly Fisher. The episode explores the paparazzi’s intrusion into Diana’s life, as throughout the vacation they wait to get a clear shot of Diana. She willingly gives them the shot and they finally leave after. These photos then cause a media frenzy that overshadows Prince Charles’ wife Camila’s 50th birthday celebration — one he’s already disappointed about since his mother refuses to come to the party as she disapproves of their relationship. With Diana and Dodi slowly falling in love, the episode ends with Dodi sending her flowers, a watch and a note inviting her to Paris. Personally, I feel like the show did a great job at introducing Dodi and conveying the changes within Diana’s life.
Episode two, titled “Two Photographs,” focuses on pivotal images: the iconic kiss between Diana and Dodi on a yacht captured by paparazzo Mario Brenna, and family photos of Prince Charles taken in response by fictional photographer Duncan Muir. Before the photos were publicly released, the royal family and Diana mentally prepared themselves for the public’s reaction. While Diana is on a social work mission to eradicate land mines in Bosnia, the release of these photos overshadow her good deeds. The emotional toll this takes on Diana is intense, and Queen Elizabeth states that, “All one wants for that girl is to find peace.” I especially empathized with Diana’s character in this episode, since no one deserves to have their private life exposed and the good they’re trying to accomplish diminished.
Episode three, titled “Dis-Moi Oui,” meaning “Say Yes to Me,” starts with two phone calls: Diana talking to her psychologist on the phone who suggests breaking up with Dodi, and Dodi talking to his dad on the phone who suggests proposing to Diana. After the calls, the two of them visit St. Tropez to discuss how Kelly is in the process of suing Dodi for falling out of love with her.
Eventually, people stop and chase after them to get photos. To escape the crowd, they stay in a jewelry store where a misunderstanding happens. After calling his dad again, Dodi decides the two of them should stop in Paris for one night before Diana heads back to England so he can propose to her. While they are in Paris, the two of them are constantly followed by paparazzi, some even going as far as following them on scooters while they are in the car. While Dodi plans to propose that night, Diana is on the phone with Prince Harry, who asks if she is going to marry Dodi — to which Diana responds with a resounding no.
Not knowing Diana’s true wishes, Dodi comes back to the room and proposes to Diana, whose answer remains as a no. Though at first Dodi is disappointed, Diana talks to him about how she knows he doesn’t actually want to marry her and is mostly doing this for his father’s approval. Together they laugh the whole situation off and end up having dinner in the room together. After dinner they then decide to head to Dodi’s apartment for the rest of the night, but as they are on their way there, tragedy strikes.
With so many theories out there about how Diana died, “The Crown” creates a clear representation of what might have happened that night. The accident that plays out in the show is a combination of two theories for what happened, those being that the accident happened due to the driver possibly being under the influence and the relentless pursuit of the paparazzi that day elevated the stress levels of everyone involved.
Episode four, “Aftermath,” explores the repercussions of the accident to offer a poignant portrayal of its impact on both the royal family and the world. The episode depicts imagined conversations in the afterlife between Diana and Prince Charles, Diana and Queen Elizabeth and Dodi with his father. These scenes especially made me emotional. With Charles, Diana discusses their past love, while Charles discusses the feelings of regret he has which he feels will never go away. With Queen Elizabeth, Diana acts as a voice of reason that convinces the Queen to go to London for Diana’s public funeral to show she stands with the people of England. With his son, Mohamed Al-Fayed discusses how he’s apologetic about making Dodi feel like he was never good enough and never could be. Part one of the sixth season concludes with Queen Elizabeth addressing the nation, as well as the emotionally charged public funeral of Diana that features authentic footage.
Overall, the first part of the sixth season of “The Crown” did an excellent job at covering Diana’s complex story to provide viewers with a deeper understanding of her private life and significance as a public figure. The show takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster evoking frustration, anger and sadness in a way that I believe is accurate and respectful to Diana and her family — although there are many different opinions. A must-watch, part one serves as a heart-wrenching tribute to Diana’s life and legacy. Part two is set to release on Dec. 14.
Overall Rating: 5/5