It's QEII on the spectrum? The way Olivia Coleman plays her is beyond stoic. And I understand about not showing emotion in public and not picking a political stance. But even in private, to her own children, and she said she was always like that, even as a kid. She is somewhat warmer to her sister Margaret and husband Prince Philip

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Charles craved a kind word and a guiding hand from anyone willing to extend them. From what I’ve read one of the major reasons his marriage to Diana failed is that they both desperately needed parenting and neither was able to support the other,

This makes a lot of sense to me. I've seen Diana documentaries where she complains about Charles's coldness, and thought, "Yeah, Charles is a terrible husband." I still think that, but after watching the Welsh episode, I can see how that coldness came about and how a strained relationship with his mom would set him up for marriage difficulties.

As a follow up to this, I can also better understand where William and Harry's concerns for their wives coming into the family come from. It seems like Diana would have married into this family and had the strain and coldness dropped on her from out of the blue.

Not to get tooooo sympathetic towards the royals.

Anonymous wrote:I think Charles craved a kind word and a guiding hand from anyone willing to extend them. From what I’ve read one of the major reasons his marriage to Diana failed is that they both desperately needed parenting and neither was able to support the other,

This makes a lot of sense to me. I've seen Diana documentaries where she complains about Charles's coldness, and thought, "Yeah, Charles is a terrible husband." I still think that, but after watching the Welsh episode, I can see how that coldness came about and how a strained relationship with his mom would set him up for marriage difficulties.

So fricking good!!!

I think the "let you in on a secret--nobody cares how you feel" is meant to refer to both her and Charles; the "you" is plural, as in, "nobody cares how the monarch feels" because the job is to be separate, apart, and looked up to, and (as stated in a later episode) not show your cracks.

When they had their second set of kids - Andrew and Edward they publicly announced they'd be stepping back from public life and having more privacy. I have seen Philip in old news footage saying exactly that - but the public wanted to see them, the tourists especially so they had to relinquish any sense that freedom could be found and knuckle down to a truly public life.

I think its covered in the Netflix documentary name I can't remember.

We don’t know of course how Elizabeth truly parented her children. But if she parented Charles as presented here she may have felt her first and foremost duty was as queen and not as mother. She was able to compartmentalize maternal feelings versus what she felt was for the good of the country. And she may have also been repeating past trauma. The “nobody cares how you feel” line sounds like something that was said to her as a child when she complained. For some children that could be toughening but for others devastating.

Anonymous wrote:What I don't understand yet is why she was so cold as a mother. I understand the sense of duty, stoicism and all that, but her father was king, yet her parents were very loving and warm with her and her sister. Was it because when she was little, neither she nor her father were expected to become monarch?

I would have liked to see that fleshed out in the series somehow.

I think the show makes it crystal clear. She didn't want the job in the first place, and she'd rather be a horse breeder but does this job out of duty. She (as portrayed anyway) seems a little bitter about it and is passing her bad attitude on th Charles ("here's a secret, nobody cares what you think"). Ouch, that was just mean.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I usually adore Olivia Coleman but I’m really missing Claire Foy As Elizabeth. Olivia’s face shows too much emotion to be Elizabeth. Anyone else?

Same. She’s a hard adjustment. I think she will work though, just need to get reoriented.

I disagree. I am loving Olivia Coleman's portrayal. She is sufficiently inscrutable, especially when she has audience. She is often even downright cold, like with Charles. But, she does show that Elizabeth is not an automaton, and her impassive demeanor takes some effort, and a toll.

The last 5 minutes of episode 3 say it all - the stoic image juxtaposed against a single tear running down her face.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After watching I feel sorry for Charles. Imagine essentially giving up all your dreams to be a sovereign and then your mom won't step down and let you take the throne.

Isn't Season 3 set in the 70s? Liz was only in her 50s. I think she could have abdicated in the 90s because Charles had proved himself before hand, but he really f*cked it all up with 'War of the Wales' with his own wife.

Ep 3 which was the Aberfan disaster took place in Oct 1966

Season 3 spans from 1964 - 1978.

What I don't understand yet is why she was so cold as a mother. I understand the sense of duty, stoicism and all that, but her father was king, yet her parents were very loving and warm with her and her sister. Was it because when she was little, neither she nor her father were expected to become monarch?

I would have liked to see that fleshed out in the series somehow.

Anonymous wrote:This show is, interestingly, making me dislike Elizabeth a fair amount. And Philip is irritating. Why doesn’t she step down already?? And lose the purse. It looks ridiculous.

Why would she step down? She's the queen. You reign until you die. Anyone with a hereditary title holds it until they die, then it's passed down to the next in line.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imelda Staunton has been announced as taking on the role of Queen Elizabeth for season 5 and 6.

Season 1 and 2



Season 3 and 4



Season 5 and 6



I hope Imelda dyes her hair or wears a wig.

See, the outfits here not exactly matching distracts me. I don't know why. I guess I feel like if you're going to do this make it match! LOL

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you saying Diana’s boyfriend’s chauffeur would have been driving a steel reinforced car (drunk) if Charles has been nicer to her??

I’m saying a private citizen wouldn’t have been driving her period. HRH requires strict protection protocols from vetted drivers, private security, and limited vehicle transportation.

I don't think what you are saying makes sense. Diana was on a private vacation staying with her boyfriend at his properties and being cared for by his security. That was her choice. The fact that she could have been entitled, in theory, to strict protection if Charles had agreed would not have changed that. Diana made choices that night that impacted her personal security. You do know that Americans entitled to Secret Service protection don't always use that protection, right? There are many stories of the Bush Daughters dumping their strict protection and evading their agents. When someone doesn't want to rely on the services to which they are entitled, those services cannot be forced on them. Even if Diana was not entitled to a steel encased car, she was certainly entitled to wear a seat belt, which even if the car was crushed would have certainly limited her injuries. In a car crash, the first crash occurs to the car. The second crash, if passengers are unbelted, occurs inside the vehicle when passengers fly through the air. Diana's aorta was severed upon impact by the internal crash of the car, not the external crash. Her decision to not wear a seatbelt almost certainly ended her life and encasing the car in steel would not have made a difference. Comparing Prince Philip's low speed accident (not a crash, a fender bender) is apples and oranges.

This show is, interestingly, making me dislike Elizabeth a fair amount. And Philip is irritating. Why doesn’t she step down already?? And lose the purse. It looks ridiculous.