This episode exquisitely illustrates the fact that — news flash — breakups suck. But first, let’s talk about Camilla. All season, Olivia Williams has been doing a marvelous job playing the recently named queen consort, and I haven’t made a point of acknowledging it, which unfortunately feels par for the course with Camilla (and Williams — a truly underrated actor). But “Couple 31” gives Camilla the most real estate she has gotten this season, so this is the best time to unpack her character on the show.
While Charles is stuck negotiating a divorce settlement with Diana (via their respective lawyers and PM turned umpire John Major), Charles suggests that Camilla meet with spin doctor Mark Bolland. Camilla, who’s being treated as a pariah by the press and the country at large, is in desperate need of image rehabilitation. Her surprise when Bolland expresses sympathy for her is quick — expertly played by Williams — and heartbreaking in the way she downplays her situation. “One doesn’t want to be all ‘poor me’ about it, but people have not been kind,” she says. “I think they forget loving the Prince of Wales has cost me everything.”
Aside from already being declared the patron saint of side-chicks, Camilla deserves a bit more compassion than she typically gets (an unpopular opinion, I know). Diana and Camilla both were victims of intrusive media, though Camilla had the added bonus of having her looks torn apart. To illustrate that point, “The Way Ahead” cut from Diana being photographed as glamorous and grinning in her revenge dress to Camilla hounded by press and called a plain Jane on the front steps of her family home. An article writes about her dandruff and “leathery old skin.”
Why is Camilla seen as deserving of such brutal treatment? Is it because she was a mistress, because she was a factor in the much-loved Diana’s unhappiness, or because she was seen as less conventionally attractive than the Princess of Wales? The answer’s likely a combination of all three, but I can’t help but feel that the latter intensified her scrutiny. Desirability and beauty so often seem to correlate to the amount of sympathy society’s willing to extend to a person. In this episode, as Camilla’s borrowed car is about to be clamped, she sighs that this sort of thing doesn’t happen to Diana: “One bat of the eyelids, one flash of the smile, and they would all just melt away.” (Camilla does underestimate her own charm, however. She chummily sweet-talks her way out of the situation and drives away ticketless.)
The world has always had a love affair with Diana and her image. Even now, her popularity only seems to grow. Meanwhile, the public has come around to Camilla, but at a snail’s pace and still not to Diana levels. Maybe that’s why The Crown seems to be pushing for a reexamination of the former Duchess of Cornwall. (Sidenote: despite its many faults, Diana: The Musical gave Camilla a sympathetic portrayal.)
When it comes to qualities that endear the public to Diana, this season indicates that Camilla actually shares a lot of them: She’s friendly with a cheeky sense of humor and a refreshing lack of pretension. Both women were former “commoners,” though Camilla wasn’t considered aristocratic enough to be wife material for Charles. Another ding against Camilla: She wasn’t seen as pure or “intact” (ugh) like the virginal Diana. You’d think more people would rally around her today given those outdated judgment calls!
Maybe the biggest reason to be accepting of Camilla is seeing just how great she and Charles are together. In previous seasons, it was clear that Charles loved her, but it felt plausible that his fixation was a case of puppy love or grass-is-greener syndrome. The one that got away isn’t always meant to stay! But this season, it’s clear how well-matched they are — particularly as they’ve matured: They’re supportive and loving, best friends who are hot for each other, and they make each other laugh despite the obstacles. The Crown’s Camilla comes across as level-headed, smart, and stable. She takes things in stride, and that seems to be what Charles needs in a partner.
Seeing how Camilla and Charles jell together reminds us of a couple that unfortunately doesn’t mesh so well: Diana and Charles. Still, when the Waleses reach a divorce agreement and their respective legal teams celebrate, neither spouse seems happy. As the ink dries on their paperwork the next day, Charles visits Diana. He’s not sure why. What follows is a gorgeous, invented, and extended scene between the two — in essence, a one-act play. It gives us a chance to revel in what The Crown excels at — even if it’s made-up: eliciting humanizing, tour de force, emotionally resonant performances on behalf of characters who are never allowed to be so candid and messy in real life. It’s the finest we’ve seen Elizabeth Debicki and Dominic West so far.
Like with any post-breakup encounter, emotions and tones run the gamut here. The interaction starts off tentative, kind, even with a tinge of flirtation. As Diana and Charles sit down over scrambled eggs to perform a “no judgments” audit on their marriage, they bring up and own up to the faults in their marriage. They each apologize. The scene’s invented nature allows for a natural flow of conversation while weaving together things that were either reported or quoted at different points in their real lives. But triggers and resentments linger, and as their grievances are aired out angrily, we’re reminded of a major reason why the fairy-tale union never would’ve lasted: Diana and Charles are fundamentally incompatible.
Throughout the episode, we’re shown other couples in counseling sessions seeking a divorce. It’s an effective device that illustrates a multitude of ideas related to Charles and Diana’s experience: how childhood shapes our future needs and wants, how sometimes love isn’t enough, how divorce is common and (typically) sad. Take away the titles and media attention, and Charles and Diana are like any other couple ultimately unable to make it work.
This sober sentiment is juxtaposed with actual footage from their wedding day, when a sea of people filled the streets of London — all there to celebrate a love that seemed so promising. (With 750 million viewers worldwide, it was the most-watched royal wedding of all time.) As the camera scans through hundreds of thousands of local well-wishers waiting outside the Waleses’ wedding, we hear a reporter’s narration: “There are those who say that the monarchy has no relevance to modern British life. Obviously, a lot of people don’t agree.” Given The Crown’s immense popularity, the same point can be made about the show.
I’m keen to watch the finale but feel like this episode could have easily been a strong, poignant way to cap off the season. Sure, it lacks a cliffhanger, but we’re well aware of the tragedy that lies ahead. Meanwhile, “Couple 31” reminds us what this show can be at its best.
Royal Diary
• At the top of the episode, we hear a voice-over of the queen reading aloud her letters to Diana and Charles, during which she mentions that their sons are suffering. But a quick zoom into a shot of her letters shows no such mention of the boys. I wonder if this was a detail added later.
• John Major is an even bigger cricket fan than the show lets on. He wrote a whole book about its history.
• Camilla has inspired me to start ordering my tea “straight up.”
• Not sure whether Hasnat will reappear next season, but the idea that he ended things with Diana doesn’t seem to be entirely true. It has been established that he had a hard time envisioning a future with Diana because of how public her life was, but Diana was said to have cooled things off with him when she met Dodi (which, granted, might have been a tactic to make Hasnat jealous and finally commit).
• I found it interesting that, on the divorce paperwork, Charles has his full given name and titles but Diana is only listed as “Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales.” It’s likely a typical formality but a small detail that seems to reaffirm how one’s personhood is essentially stripped after marrying into the royal family.
