As the world collectively mourns the loss of one of the longest-reigning monarchs, Queen Elizabeth II, it makes sense that the Netflix series The Crown has seen a renewed interest. Elizabeth II passed away on September 8 after reigning as Queen of Britain for just over 70 years, with her funeral held on September 19. Much happened to the royal family over that time, some of which was covered in the show. Now, as fans look back over her time as Monarch, the popular series has landed two spots on Netflix’s Top 10 list.
Though The Crown is by no means an accurate rendering of the royal family throughout Elizabeth’s reign, it does cover many of the events that happened including weddings, scandals, and the many royal duties performed by the family. It is a dramatization imagining just what was going on inside the palace walls during these events, it would be impossible to know exactly what was said during these times, given that the family like to keep many things private.
Many affiliated with the royal family, including Princess Diana’s brother, wish that the show would have a warning at the beginning for viewers to remind them that it is a dramatization, saying in a television appearance, “The worry for me is that people see a program like that and they forget that it is fiction.” He then added: “I find Americans tell me they have watched The Crown as if they have taken a history lesson. Well, they haven’t.” Apparently, the Queen herself was reported to have watched it, and while she enjoyed many parts, she felt certain scenes were highly dramatized and even a tad upsetting.
Those mourning the loss of the monarch have returned to the show once again, or perhaps the passing of Her Majesty has prompted new viewers to give the series a look. The Crown season one and season two currently hold third and seventh place respectively. From Sep. 12 to Sep. 18, season one was watched for a total of 40,790,000 hours with season two reaching 16,670,000 hours.
The Crown season six is currently in production, though it paused for a little while out of respect for the Queen’s passing. Season five will hit our screens in November, with Imelda Staunton taking on the role of the famous figure after Clare Foy and Olivia Coleman have already portrayed her in her earlier years. Many are now wondering if the show will continue on long enough to cover the recent death of her majesty, as the show starts to catch up with the current day.