The Crown (Netflix) season 1

Casting universally well-known characters is always difficult. When those characters are the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, even when portrayed in their youth, it must be almost impossible. Claire Foy and Matt Smith were inspired choices; they inhabit their roles completely and convincingly, obliterating memories of Dr Who, Anne Boleyn and all other previous roles. Foy is a wonderful actress and she superbly evokes the “ordinary young woman of modest ability and limited imagination”, who must grow into a role she is not ready for that will compromise her marriage and her close relationships. Smith is a revelation as Prince Philip, a man of his time who can’t seem to find his place as Mr Queen. Perfectly sumptuous costumes and settings help bring to life an era that is still within living memory for many. Alas the rest of the casting is hit and miss. Too many well known British acting faces seem to be there for their names rather than their prowess; with many you never forget they are actors playing a part. Eileen Atkins and Victoria Hamilton, as Queen Mary and the Queen Mother respectively, do improve as the series progresses. John Lithgow is surprisingly convincing as the increasingly decrepit Churchill, clinging to power. Alex Jennings is very good as the Duke of Windsor, portrayed as a rather nasty man who nevertheless garners some sympathy for his horrible situation. Ben Miles is totally miscast as Peter Townsend – it is not at all believable that young Princess Margaret would have fallen for a much older married man so devoid of looks and charm. Nuanced and subtle, sometimes a little slow, The Crown gives a fascinating insight to the monarchy that even a confirmed republican can find absorbing. It seems likely that those involved would not be pleased with their life being examined in such excruciating detail and who could blame them, but as The Crown makes clear, such is the price of monarchy – for better or for worse.