Netflix was always ‘adamant’ for The Crown to end with the events of 2005 it’s been revealed, due to the ‘true story’ of more recent happenings still yet to emerge.
Following the final episodes being released this week specialist researcher on the award-winning drama Annie Sulzberger explained how the team needed time to properly investigate happenings in the royal household.
The show concluded with William and Kate’s blossoming romance, the late Queen’s Golden Jubilee and Charles and Camilla finally tying the knot.
Speaking on the History Extra Podcast, she said: ‘What we feel very adamant about – this is one of the reasons why our show stops in 2005,’
‘You need to allow the true story of those moments and the history to emerge so that it’s not actually on the ground reporting’.
Netflix was always ‘adamant’ for The Crown to end with the events of 2005 it’s been revealed, due to the ‘true story’ of more recent happenings still yet to emerge
Following the final episodes being released this week specialist researcher on the award-winning drama Annie Sulzberger explained how the team needed time to properly investigate happenings in the royal household
Going on to say: ‘If we were still doing it in 2023 we would only have today’s newspapers or interviews to help us shape the story’.
Using Princess Diana’s fatal 1997 car crash, which features in the series, as an example she said: ‘Most of the information for that did not come out till 2008’.
‘We needed those ten years of investigations to take us through to get to the actual fundamental material with which to build our story.’
As the infamous drama about the Royal Family was brought to a close, viewers were quick to take to social media to admit they were ‘heartbroken’.
They shared their upset that The Crown had finally come to a close after six series and told how the closing scenes were ‘so sad’.
Taking to X – formerly known as Twitter – one wrote: ‘I just finished The Crown season 6 part 2. oh my god. wow.’
A second said: ‘OK this is really sad,’ while a third commented: ‘The Crown finale is so sad.’
A third tweeted: ‘The final episodes are out.. [broken heart emoji],’ and another wrote: ‘The Ritz episode. Heartbreaking. And absolutely beautiful.’
The show concluded with William and Kate’s blossoming romance, the late Queen’s Golden Jubilee and Charles and Camilla finally tying the knot (pictured)
She said: ‘You need to allow the true story of those moments and the history to emerge so that it’s not actually on the ground reporting’
Using Princess Diana’s fatal 1997 car crash, which features in the series, as an example she said: ‘Most of the information for that did not come out till 2008’
Going on to say: ‘If we were still doing it in 2023 we would only have today’s newspapers or interviews to help us shape the story’ (Harry and Meghan pictured in 2017)
Another added: ‘This show was absolutely magnificent and so well done. I’ll miss it so much. Thank you Peter Morgan.’
Viewers also praised the show for briefly bringing back former stars Claire Foy and Olivia Colman, who portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in the earlier series.
The poignant scene saw the two actresses appear at the shoulder of Imelda Staunton, the final actress to take the role, in the closing moments of the drama.
However, the second half of series six has received a very mixed reaction from reviewers, with the introduction of Kate (Meg Bellamy) and William (Ed McVey) in St Andrews received a lukewarm reception.
Some were also critical of the depiction of Carole Middleton‘s desperate attempts to make a match for her daughter.
However, critics also praised the scenes with Princess Margaret (Lesley Manville), seeing her role as a way to hark back to the more historical elements of the earlier seasons.
The show’s last episodes debuted on the streaming platform on December 14, weeks after the first half of series six was released last month
As the infamous drama about the Royal family was brought to a close, viewers were quick to take to social media to admit they were ‘heartbroken’
Viewers also praised the show for briefly bringing back former stars Claire Foy and Olivia Colman, who portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in the earlier series
The Independent’s Katie Rosseinsky gave the show a mere two stars and was one of those who saw the end as a far cry from its successful beginnings.
She wrote: ‘When it comes to The Crown and what-ifs, the biggest one is this: what if this juggernaut of a show hadn’t squandered its once-golden potential?
‘As the final six episodes arrive on Netflix, bringing a saga spanning half a century to a close, Morgan’s drama is haunted by the ghost of past glories.’
The mainly scathing review added that some of William and Harry’s lines appear that they were written by an ‘AI bot’, and though she praised The Queen’s (Imelda Staunton) final scenes, she added they come ‘too little too late’.
Anita Singh of The Telegraph agreed, arguing that a ‘once fine drama abdicates with a miserable whimper’.
The Times appeared more positive by offering three stars, calling it a ‘middling end to a royal epic’, adding it was ‘quite dull’ and felt like it was ‘running out of power like a Duracell advert’.
The i and Radio Times however were far more complimentary of the new season, giving it four stars apiece.
The i’s Francesca Steele called it a ‘near perfect ending against all odds’: ‘If you’ve missed what you used to think of as The Crown – that elegant, strangely nostalgic (even for things you don’t remember) examination of changing national identity – good news. It’s back!
Reviewers had mixed reactions to The Crown’s final episodes, particularly the introductions of Kate (Meg Bellamy) and William (Ed McVey)
Critics also praised the scenes with Princess Margaret (Lesley Manville), seeing her role as a way to hark back to the more historical elements of the earlier seasons
‘After 54 episodes and 143 awards since its 2017 premiere, and with six episodes to go following a shoddy first part of the final series, creator Peter Morgan has gone back to basics. It’s a joy.’
While James Hibbs of Radio Times sees Ed McVey as the key success figure of the final series.
Hibbs writes: ‘It may not be the series at its best, but this final batch of episodes succeeds by taking things back to basics.’