The Crown Series 4

[Housewife2010]

Anyone else getting excited? The Diana trailer looks great. It's on Netflix on 15th November.

I wonder if the script writers go for a dramatic telling of a feeling, rather than strict events, iyswim. e.g. MT stalking in the wrong clothes never happened, but MT feeling like a fish out of water at Balmoral might have - and so the stalking scene is meant to portray how "wrong" she might have felt in that setting.

Ditto, maybe the ibble dibble scene didn't happen but maybe MT's recollection of her time at Balmoral might have been of a family so insular and used to their own, weird ways that it felt like all they wanted to do was spend their time doing trivial things rather than more "grown up" pursuits - in MT's eyes.

I think her not bringing the correct outdoor shoes was her way of saying 'fuck you' to them. She 'had to' go every year as tradition.

@derxa

I cannot believe that Margaret Thatcher went stalking with the Queen in a formal suit. This suggests that MT was completely stupid and socially inept and the Queen was a cruel hostess. This was like something out of a Carry On film. I'm sure the Balmoral stays are excruciating but nothing like this.

Yes, I couldn't believe MT would be that dim. It was a grand country house, what did she think they were going to do. I'm not remotely posh and I would have been better prepared.

@HilaryThorpe

No I don't think attitudes were particularly different when Charles married Diana. We thought she was way to young for him and the whole thing was doomed. You could see they were both fragile and needy and it was never going to work. Of course some people thought it was all terribly romantic and wonderful, but most people we knew thought it was a big mistake. You watched the "whatever love means" interview and thought WTF?

I was a (rather young) 13 in 1981 and I remember thinking: 'gosh, she's only 6 years older than me' whilst watching the wedding.

I'd hoped there would be less speculative RF-interaction as the bare facts are enough to show that Diana was probably doomed from the start, both in terms of Charles / Camilla and also Charles / RF inability to support / use her 'star power' rather than be jealous of it. What stands out to me so far, is the constant jealousy and jockeying for position amongst the RF itself. How accurate that is is hard to tell ?

Ditto, maybe the ibble dibble scene didn't happen but maybe MT's recollection of her time at Balmoral might have been of a family so insular and used to their own, weird ways that it felt like all they wanted to do was spend their time doing trivial things rather than more "grown up" pursuits - in MT's eyes.
As a workaholic I doubt if she'd ever played a game in her life so that makes sense but I think she would have taken advice (maybe from a former PM) as to what she should expect and, at least, be a little bit prepared. On the other hand, maybe she thought she knew it all and expected it to be a working visit.

Am about 2/3s through and am mostly annoyed by Diana's inability to point her fucking toes in the ballet scenes. I gave up ballet age 9 and even I could do better than that. Could NOBODY on set (eh hem) point this out to the actress, since they had her all dolled up in a leotard as if she might have had a couple of lessons...

Thatcher's office did attempt to liaise on the matter of dress after she and HMQ turned up at an event wearing outfits of the same colour. Asked if this could be avoided in future by previous notice. Reply 'Her Majesty does not notice what other people are wearing'

Just finished episode 4 here so a bit behind.

Thoroughly amused by DH shouting “Twat!” at the screen when Prince Andrew appeared (DH met him several years ago and he indeed behaved like a twat, so it was a fair comment!).

Personally I’m irrationally annoyed by the portrayal of Badminton Horse Trials - it takes place in May every year but was obviously filmed in winter with no leaves on the trees!

@Nosnogginginthekitchen

Am about 2/3s through and am mostly annoyed by Diana's inability to point her fucking toes in the ballet scenes. I gave up ballet age 9 and even I could do better than that. Could NOBODY on set (eh hem) point this out to the actress, since they had her all dolled up in a leotard as if she might have had a couple of lessons...

Yes!!!!! As well as that, I was silently screaming at the screen, SHOULDERS! SHOULDERS!

I'm not sure that either Beatrice or Eugenie boarded?

Eugenie yes, she went to Marlborough like Kate. Beatrice was a day girl somewhere nearby, she has dyslexia and they struggled to find the right school for her IIRC.

@Nosnogginginthekitchen

Am about 2/3s through and am mostly annoyed by Diana's inability to point her fucking toes in the ballet scenes. I gave up ballet age 9 and even I could do better than that. Could NOBODY on set (eh hem) point this out to the actress, since they had her all dolled up in a leotard as if she might have had a couple of lessons...

I think it was quite obvious the actress had never done ballet in her life. I was cringing.

TBF on the ballet thing - I think that always happens when dramas touch on skills/subjects you know something about in real life. Every single time any form of animal/dog training or animal behavioural interpretation happens on TV, I cringe. It's always wrong

@PawsAndPhytoncides

TBF on the ballet thing - I think that always happens when dramas touch on skills/subjects you know something about in real life. Every single time any form of animal/dog training or animal behavioural interpretation happens on TV, I cringe. It's always wrong

Agree - anything horse related and I’m shouting at the TV and anything military related it’s DH!

@PawsAndPhytoncides

TBF on the ballet thing - I think that always happens when dramas touch on skills/subjects you know something about in real life. Every single time any form of animal/dog training or animal behavioural interpretation happens on TV, I cringe. It's always wrong

Agreed, but honestly, my biggest experience of anything dance related is being a sofa-judge for Strictly since its inception so if even I noticed, then it must have been bad. It was such a basic thing. Just point your toes. Bless the actress, she's not at all a dancer.

Fair point

@PawsAndPhytoncides

TBF on the ballet thing - I think that always happens when dramas touch on skills/subjects you know something about in real life. Every single time any form of animal/dog training or animal behavioural interpretation happens on TV, I cringe. It's always wrong

Tbh I know next to nothing about ballet. I know the skirts are called “Tutu” and that’s it! but even I could tell the actress was useless in those scenes!

She had a vague go at port de bras, but tendu, extension and turn-out of the legs was a lost cause. 😀

As I said upthread, I was cringing at those scenes, and an extra eye roll for Elton John during the routine.

The actor portraying Wayne Sleep wasn't all that, either

I do wonder about PM's having(?) to go to Balmoral.

Is it considered a great honour to be invited-if so, by whom?

And do you have to "join in" with everything?

@diddl

I do wonder about PM's having(?) to go to Balmoral.

Is it considered a great honour to be invited-if so, by whom?

And do you have to "join in" with everything?

every PM is invited to Balmoral and has been for decades. There is no way MT wouldnt have been completely and thoroughly briefed as to what was expected of her, she might have chosen to ignore the brief but she would have known. You have to join in with whatever the Queen wants.

There's a good article here about wht different PMs thought :) www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/sep/16/may-pm-visit-balmoral

I thought the episode was mostly nonsense, it just felt like a very clunky way to make the point that Diana was seen by the RF as "one of us" and hence why they were all so keen on her marrying Charles

It all sounds rather forced, doesn't it?

I once went to visit a Uni friend for New years in her family home, they were all VERY posh and I can confirm that we played ibble dibbles. Actually a lot of fun when you've had a glass or two! And her family were really welcoming

Ibble dibbles is a drinking game so I'd definitely hate that!

Being forced to drink under the guise of fun?-no thanks!

I’m surprised HBC hasn’t received much praise for this season. I think she’s been fantastic - I adored Kirby as Margaret in the early seasons and really didn’t like HBC at first but as it’s going on I think she’s brilliant.