I really wasn’t expecting to like The Crown as much as I did. A glacially slow-paced period drama about post-war British politics and the particulars of Queenly etiquette? It doesn’t exactly sound like hi-octane gripping television. But it didn’t take many episodes for it to get its teeth into me and have me gasping at every breach of Royal tradition and intrigued by the handover between the Churchill and Eden government. All this has me very excited for the third season, which introduces Olivia Colman as the new Elizabeth.
The scene being shot in the gallery below is from an episode about the 1966 Aberfan Disaster, in which the collapse of a colliery spoil tip caused a landslide which obliterated a Junior school, causing the deaths of 116 children and 28 adults. The disaster was a political nightmare for the government, with the National Coal Board being found responsible for not foreseeing or preventing it. Given all this, it’s likely to be a pretty heavy episode emotionally, though The Crown hasn’t pulled any punches yet.
These shots come from the Queen’s visit on October 28th, 1966, the day after the last body was recovered, when she and Prince Philip travelled to Aberfan to pay their respects. Judging by the set photos we have here, Colman’s wearing an exact copy of the outfit worn on that day, sporting a red fur-rimmed coat and matching hat. We also get a little peek at Tobias Menzies’ Prince Philip, taking over the role from former Doctor Matt Smith.
The third season of The Crown is set to air in 2019 and should be one of the most hyped releases on Netflix’s calendar. While I can’t wait to see what Colman brings to the role, I’m equally curious about how Helena Bonham-Carter approaches Princess Margaret. After all, she’s claimed she’s been in touch with her ghost in order to ensure that she’s playing the part correctly. Now that’s dedication to the part!
