‘The Crown’ Season 5 Premiere Review: Does ‘The Crown’ Not Support the Monarchy?

The following review contains minor spoilers for “The Crown.”

On Nov. 9, Season 5 of “The Crown” returned to Netflix at a precarious time for the future of the British monarchy — and the world’s opinion of the Royal Family. About two months after the death of Britain’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, “The Crown”’s portrayal of the late Queen was not the most favorable.

Reopening its examination of royal life, the season’s premiere begins with a portrayal of the Royal Family’s (perhaps embellished) preoccupation with power and luxury, hinting at their detachment from the widespread economic hardships in the country.

In the opening scene, Claire Foy reprises her role as young Queen Elizabeth, offering viewers a brief history of the family’s royal yacht, the Britannia — inspiring a sense of nostalgia for the early seasons of the show. While “The Crown” has in past seasons done its best to frame the Queen in a positive light, glorifying her commendable poise and elegance, this episode offers quite a negative outlook on the priorities of the esteemed family.

In the episode, Queen Elizabeth (Imelda Staunton) and Prince Philip (Jonathan Pryce) casually request and even attempt to order the government’s provision of millions of British pounds for the repair of their yacht. Whether or not this scene was slightly dramatized, it is evident that a clear shift and change in perspective has occurred on the show’s part. By placing an emphasis on the separation between the British Royal Family and the rest of the country, “The Crown” takes a step towards a neutral portrayal of the family, balancing out their past idolization with some stark realism.

In one scene, Queen Elizabeth notes that, of all her inherited palaces and castles, her favorite has been her yacht — the only thing that has been a true “expression” of herself. Viewers will be reminded that, in Season 4 of “The Crown,” Queen Elizabeth despaired at the corrupt nature of her eldest son, Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor), who prioritized making his own estate into an “expression” of himself — blatantly ignoring the needs and happiness of those around him.

In terms of casting, “The Crown” has certainly succeeded. From Staunton as Queen Elizabeth to Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana, the roles of such highly scrutinized and celebrated public figures have certainly been done justice. The transition from Emma Corrin’s Diana in Season 4 to Debicki’s this season was a considerable improvement. Not to say that Corrin’s portrayal of Diana was unjust, but Debicki captures the essence of Diana with greater nuance.

Pryce’s portrayal of Prince Philip is also especially convincing. The actors who have portrayed Prince Philip throughout “The Crown” have been consistently excellent, from Matt Smith to Tobias Menzies to finally Pryce. As the season progresses, viewers should look forward to seeing how Pryce grows into the role after a remarkably strong start.

The one casting choice that may be underwhelming for viewers, however, is Dominic West as Prince Charles. While, again, his acting does the role of Prince Charles justice, previous actor O’Connor set a very high bar in Season 4. As of the first episode, West’s Prince Charles is a little disappointing; but, he has plenty of time to settle into the role as the season continues.

While Season 5 is off to a very promising start, “The Crown”’s changing stance on the very institution it previously idolized might just overshadow its casting success.