The sixth season of The Crown is out, and the audience cannot wait to immerse themselves in the lives of the British royals and the scandals around them. The Princess Diana chapter is an important part of the British royal family’s story in the last century. She was the Anne Boleyn of that time, whose moves and appearances were constantly under speculation.
The first part of The Crown Season 6 is dedicated to Diana’s charity work around the world post-divorce, while Prince Charles wanted to find some foothold as a future monarch and gain acceptance for Camilla while his ex-wife keeps overshadowing the couple the world over. The first episode of this season begins at the scene of the crash in the city of Paris as witnessed by a bystander. Anyone who grew up in the nineties is aware of who was involved in the car crash and what resulted after that.
Spoilers Ahead
Why Did Diana Meet With The Prime Minister Of The UK?
The show moves to months before the crash, when Diana met with the Prime Minister of the UK, requesting a bigger role to play in representing the UK. Her work in dismantling the usage of landmines around the world led to the drafting of the anti-landmine charter, which was a monumental step taken by many countries at her behest. The Prime Minister was keen on giving her a role, but not before seeking permission from Her Majesty the Queen, who would be the final decision-maker since Diana was a part of the family.
The Queen sympathizes with the work her ex-daughter-in-law wants to indulge in, but as a Queen, her hands are tied in this regard. Diana was no longer HRH (Her Royal Highness) after the divorce, which means she cannot represent the family. Even though Diana was a world-recognized celebrity for her copious amounts of charity work, the Queen understands her need to have a purpose outside of life as a mother. The Queen was still bitter about the divorce, as she was a traditionalist; she wanted to keep Diana at bay, for she invited a lot of attention from the press.
Diana wanted a bigger diplomatic role because, as a celebrity, she had a penchant for attracting the right kind of attention. This attention was soon going to get out of hand because the photographers would never leave her side. An official role would also mean the paparazzi would be kept at a distance, and she could have a normal life with her kids, William and Harry. Diana should have known that Elizabeth had rejected the same offer from her now-deceased uncle King George VI when she learned about his role in supporting Nazi Germany in the Second World War and his willingness to eliminate her family for power. However, the Queen refused, and Diana and Prime Minister Tony Blair had to oblige.
Was The Queen’s Approval Necessary For Charles On Camilla’s 50th Birthday?
At Highgrove House, Prince Charles’ residence was looking forward to celebrating Camilla Parker-Bowles’ 50th birthday, and he wanted it to be a big affair. He had sent invitations to many members of the family, including his mother, but so far only his aunt, Princess Margaret, has accepted the invitation. Princess Margaret had been at the receiving end of Castle politics and had been kept from marrying the person she loved decades ago. Her show of support meant she approved of the love Charles and Camilla shared, and it is high time the people and the family at Buckingham did the same as well.
Meanwhile, Prince Charles desperately needed his mother’s approval and invited her to the party. She didn’t respond, which irritated him. Charles begs his mother to make an appearance at the party, which would mean a lot to him and the public in general. Her presence would be a symbolic gesture of her acceptance of Charles’ new partner, and an indication that the country should do the same. Queen Elizabeth still had a major influence on the people, and she knew about it but still refused to oblige her son’s request. Charles and Camilla were in love, and the latter was willing to wait as long as she could to receive a final nod from the Queen.
Though the party was a raging success, Prince Charles left no stone unturned in declaring his love for Camilla. Princess Margaret was happy to inform his sister about the new, improved Charles and how it might not be a wrong decision to support his courtship. The Queen, for the first time, considered it and spoke to Charles about the party. Just like she was bitter about Diana, she had the same response to her son’s decision as well.
Why Was Dodi Asked To Join His Father At St. Tropez?
Dodi was busy with his fiancée, Kelly Fisher, when he was asked by his controlling father to join him at their mansion and yacht in St. Tropez. Unbeknownst to him, his father was waiting to introduce him to Princess Diana, who had accepted his invitation to spend the summer in the south of France with his family along with William and Harry. Post-divorce, her time is dedicated to the upbringing of her sons and spending as much time as she can with them. Diana was a devoted mother and made sure to give her children privacy while growing up. Even though she and her children were constantly hounded for their royal status, Diana never hid the life she led with them.
Mohamed Al-Fayed was a control freak and rich businessman whose only aim was to gain the acceptance of the royals of the UK. He believes the only way to solidify his power and legacy is by making his older son, Dodi, a California-based movie producer, marry Princess Diana. He played cupid without understanding the repercussions of this forced match and manipulation. He also planned to separate Dodi from his fiancée by asking him to help her take care of Diana. The place is surrounded by pristine water and tons of cameramen hoping to get a glimpse of the princess’ life.
Was The Press Coverage Bothering Diana And Charles?
Prince Charles was hoping that the press coverage of the birthday party would be a game changer for him and Camilla, but unfortunately, nothing worked as per the press secretary’s plans. All the newspapers were splashed with Diana’s holidaying in the South of France and overshadowed his idea of making Camilla accepted through the press. Even though the press secretary confirms most of the coverage about Diana was negative and Camilla was positive, Charles was agitated by the magnitude of the photographs being pasted across the tabloids.
Prince Charles surely understood that there was nothing called good or bad publicity. He believed Diana was unfazed by all the press while William was suffering the wrath of it, and he refused to be a part of the vacation, fearing being photographed. William was a sensitive kid, and Diana understood that, which made her request the paparazzi to keep her children away from the limelight, but the press photographers never appreciated her demand. Charles, on the other hand, was flummoxed at the thought of his ex-wife still managing to grab the eyeballs, and he will probably stop trying too hard this time.
Why Did Dodi Send The Roses And The Gift To Diana?
Dodi’s fiancée had reached St. Tropez, sensing danger in the presence of Princess Diana. She was paranoid about the growing situation, and rightly so. Kelly was aware Dodi’s father disapproved of her, and he wanted his son to break off the engagement. Her visit made no difference, and the couple ended up arguing over the situation at hand.
Diana encouraged Dodi to follow his heart and marry the person he loves. Dodi was touched by her kind words and believed them to be true. Dodi and Diana bonded over their troubled relationship with emotionally unavailable fathers who had way too many expectations from their offspring. They both agreed that they had had a rough childhood. Diana turned out to be a solace to him rather than a burden, and we assume Dodi developed a crush on her.
Diana had an approachable demeanor that made anyone around her comfortable, including a recluse like Dodi. The episode ends with Diana leaving St. Tropez and heading to London. Her sons were going to the Balmoral in Scotland, where she is ‘persona non grata’ as the title of the show, which means she is not welcome by the family anymore. Her words state that there was still some unfinished grudge between her and her ex-in-laws, and she would rather be at bay than provoke them.
Diana made sure her sons had a good relationship with everyone from their father’s family. Dodi’s admiration had no end after his conversation with her, and he ended up sending plenty of roses and a wristwatch as a gift to Kensington Palace way before she reached London. Diana was touched by this gesture, and she believed this could be the start of a courtship even though she knew Dodi was engaged to be married. Diana went into this knowing there would be turbulence, but she could not keep herself away from Dodi’s charm and innocence. Dodi, on the other hand, could not believe the most beautiful woman gave him attention, and he was swooned by her beauty and generosity.
