The final episodes of Netflix spectacle The Crown were released this morning – with more bizarre moments than ever.
After six seasons chronicling the life and times of the Royal Family, the final instalment spans the period from the late 90s to 2005 – covering the deaths of the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, Charles and Camilla‘s wedding, and William and Harry reaching adulthood.
Here, Sky News details the seven most controversial moments from the second instalment of the final season.
Warning, spoilers ahead.
King Tony Blair?
The Labour Party as the new Royal Family, Things Can Only Get Better as the national anthem… and Tony Blair as King?
Alas no, it was just Queen Elizabeth‘s dream.
But a bizarre series of events sees the Queen consulting the then-prime minister for advice on how to modernise the monarchy.
Peter Morgan’s show also depicts the Queen being intimidated by Blair’s impressive poll ratings. She commissions research using focus groups on public opinion about the monarchy.
“Historically, I’ve not worried too much about prime ministers’ popularity. It tends to come and go very quickly,” she tells aides in the show.
“But I’ve a feeling that could be different with Mr Blair. People really do seem to love him and see him as a true son of England, and a unifying national symbol in a way they used to see, well, me.”
But when Mr Blair presents his proposed reforms, the Queen is quick to rebuff them. The show depicts his popularity falling shortly afterward.
Princess Margaret’s death
The decline of the Queen’s sister’s health is chronicled in the seventh episode of this season.
It alternates between the present day and the sisters’ joyful celebrations on VE Day in 1945 – including an early morning walk home to Buckingham Palace from a music club after a night of kissing and dancing.
As both sisters grapple with their childhood memories, and declining health, the importance of their relationship is highlighted – with the Queen seen reading stories to Margaret and kissing her affectionately.
Margaret faces her demise as she suffers several strokes. She tells her older sister: “I’m not thrilled about [death]. In fact, I’m furious. I’m not ready to leave this particular party.”
And as Margaret’s death is imminent, she promises a young Queen: “I will always be by your side – no matter what.”
Kate Middleton in that dress
After years of scheming by Carole Middleton, and one see-through dress, The Crown shows Kate becoming the object of William’s affections.
Before this is several months in which she and William become friends – then the young prince pines after the spoken for-Kate.
A break-up and a risque fashion show later, the pair confess their feelings towards each other.
“I’ve always been interested. Bordering on obsessed. To the point where I thought if I couldn’t be with you, I’d sooner not be here at all,” William says.
The pair share a kiss – only to be interrupted by his security guard informing him of the death of the Queen Mother.
As the relationship progresses, the pair move in together, along with two friends, to a house in St Andrews.
The ghost of Queens past
Both Claire Foy and Olivia Colman return in the final episodes to offer sage, and contradictory, words of wisdom to the older version of the Queen.
Colman – the middle-aged Queen – calls Imelda Staunton’s Queen a “coward” for not telling her husband how she was feeling about planning her funeral.
She urges the older Queen to consider making way for Charles after more than 50 years on the throne.
“Stepping down is the right thing to do. Both as Queen and as a mother,” Colman’s Queen says.
Read more:
Will the King always be living in the shadow of Diana?
Four moments from the first instalment of The Crown’s last season
Later, Foy’s Queen implores the older Queen to consider the oath she made at 21.
“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service,” Foy’s Queen reminds her.
“If you step down, you will be symbolising instability and impermanence. You’ll also be indicating the luxury of choice, which is the one thing we cannot have if we claim the Crown is our birthright.”
The aftermath of Diana’s death
As William and Harry struggle with the grief of their mother’s passing, the young heir takes his anger out on his father.
After a months-long stand-off between Charles and William, frustrations reach a boiling point with the teenager blaming his father for Diana‘s death.
He shouted: “She should never have been anywhere near the Fayeds. She should have been safe with us. The fact that she wasn’t is your fault.
“You didn’t actually drive the car but you drove her into the arms of those who did. By making her so unhappy, by loving someone else.
He added: “She still loved you and only wanted to be in the South of France so she would not to be there when you threw a birthday party for the other one.”
Later on, we see the young princes struggle to cope with the police investigation into the Paris car crash which was sparked by Mohamed al Fayed’s conspiratorial claims in the British press.
Harry vs William
The early signs of the current frosty relationship between Princes William and Harry are depicted in the season’s second instalment.
From bickering over the death of their mother, to the acceptance of Charles and Camilla’s relationship – the tensions between the heir and the spare emerge early on.
But it culminates in the Queen asking Prince William to look out for Harry – after a photograph of him wearing a swastika to a fancy dress party makes the front pages of the newspapers.
“Be kind to him,” the Queen says to William. “In many ways, it’s harder being number two than number one. The system protects number one. Number two tends to…”
“Go mad,” William interrupts.
“I was going to say, ‘need extra care and attention’,” the Queen replies.
The Queen abdicating… and the end of the monarchy?
As both the Queen and Prince Philip are forced to plan out their funeral, their minds wander towards the future.
The Queen appears to contemplate abdicating the throne, with speculation mounting over a top-secret speech she is due to deliver at Charles and Camilla’s wedding.
Instead, she appears to skip several cards on which her speech is written at the reception and decides to stay on.
But that doesn’t stop Prince Philip from predicting the end of the monarchy.
In the final scene of the series, he tells Elizabeth: “The system makes no sense anymore to those outside it, nor to those of us inside it.
“We’re a dying breed, you and I. Oh, I’m sure everyone will carry on, pretending all is well. But the party’s over.”