The Crownseason 5, episode 6, “Ipatiev House”, is another Philip-centric episode in the series, though Queen Elizabeth has plenty to contend with regarding her family’s past and her own troubles in the present.The Crownseason 5 sees a new actress as Queen Elizabethas the timeline moves into the 1990s. This is a slightly different Queen Elizabeth than viewers were used to seeing. She’s wiser and stronger, but at the same time, increasingly nostalgic and perhaps more human as she looks back on her life and the history of her family, warts and all.
As season 5 progresses,The Crown’s question of where the Monarchy fits in the modern worldbecomes even more urgent. In the previous episode,The Crownseason 5, episode 5, “The Way Ahead”, Elizabeth (Imelda Staunton) has just finished the unpleasant business offormalizing Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) and Charles' separation. In the next episode,it’s Elizabeth and Prince Philip (Jonathan Pryce) whose marriage is faltering. She may be able to keep a stiff upper lip in the face of her son’s romantic troubles, but she wavers when confronted with her own.
Queen Elizabeth Reconnects With The Russians
The Crown Season 5, Episode 6 Opens With A Harrowing Piece Of History
The Crownseason 5, episode 6, “Ipatiev House”, opens with the titular mansion, actually more of a prison for theRomanov family and anyone who knows their historywill immediately feel a tightness in their chest as the royal family, including the children, are led down to the home’s basement. The scene cuts back and forth to King George V (Richard Dillane) and Mary of Teck (Candida Benson) reading a letter begging for safe passage. Safe passage never comes, andthe Romanovs are deposed in an extended, startlingly violent, opening to the usually decorousThe Crown.
The Sad Truth Of Margaret & Peter’s Reunion In The Crown Season 5
Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend had a tragic relationship backstory leading up to their final heartbreaking meeting in The Crown season 5.
Returning to the show’s present (1994), Elizabeth is having a historic visit with Boris Yeltsin (Anatoliy Kotenyov), Russia’s first democratically elected president. Something of a lush and almost impish in his refusal to obey all the rules of palace decorum, Boris still acquiesces to one of Elizabeth’s requests. The Ipatiev House, the one from the opening, was demolished in 1970, by order of Yeltsin, and the Romanov’s bodies were never properly buried.
The favorite cousins of her grandfather, King George V, Elizabeth wants to see them paid proper respect. After some careful jousting between Yeltsin and Elizabeth,the Queen agrees on a royal visit to Russia, the first in years between England and the former Soviet Union.
King Philip Learns About His Ancestors With The Help Of A Friend
Penny Knatchbull And Philip Grow Closer
Yeltsin gets to work excavating the bodies of the Romanovs, but the authorities want to be certain of their identities before burying them with full honors. To do so, they plan to use the new state-of-the-art techniques of DNA sequencing to match the bodies. And who should be the closest relation, but Prince Philip, who also happens to have a keen interest in the science as well. After some admittedly long and overly detailed explanations of DNA sampling, scientists confirm the bodies are the Romanovs, thanks to Philip’s help.
His interest doesn’t stop there and Philip becomes fascinated by his ancestry, a fascination not shared by Elizabeth, and the royal couple continues to grow further distant.
His interest doesn’t stop there and Philip becomes fascinated by his ancestry, a fascination not shared by Elizabeth, and the royal couple continues to grow further distant. It’s not all bad for Philip though, because he’s met an intellectual companion, Penny Knatchbull (Natascha McElhone), the wife of his godson, Norton Knatchbull (Elliot Cowan). Penny proves to be a constant companion to Philip, sharing his interest in science and his family history.
Prince Philip was the grandnephew of Alexandra Romanov.
Penny has read up on the Romanovs herself and tells Philip some of the unsavory history between his family and his wife’s. According to Penny,King George V refused to rescue his cousins because his wife Mary had a fierce rivalry with Nicholas' (Aleksey Dyakin) wife, Alexandra(Anja Antonowicz). In effect, Elizabeth’s relatives sentenced Philip’s to death out of spite. Philip doesn’t seem to consider that Elizabeth herself is related to the Romanovs and perhaps would consider this an affront to her family just as well as his.
Elizabeth And Philip Go To Russia
Philip Accused Elizabeth Of Erasing His Identity
So comes the visit to Russia, and between tours of the countryside, attendance of Russian Orthodox services, and other local activities, the press notices that Elizabeth and Philip are not spending much time together. Elizabeth doesn’t need the media to tell her what she already knows, and she confronts her husband, demanding an explanation for his chilly attitude the last few weeks. Philip unleashes on her a patented “Philip airing of grievances”, accusing her of stripping him of his identity.
His relationship with Penny is almost certainly something approaching a father/daughter one, but that doesn’t mean Elizabeth doesn’t feel wounded by his lack of interest in her.
These Russian issues are just a symptom of something bigger. Sure, Philip used to be a practicing Orthodox Christian, but his real issue is that Elizabeth seems uninterested in him and who he is altogether. In his frustration, he even reveals his relationship with Penny, adamantly denying anything romantic between the two, but not being shy about the fact he’s enjoyed spending time with her over Elizabeth. His relationship with Penny is almost certainly something approaching a father/daughter one, but that doesn’t mean Elizabeth doesn’t feel wounded by his lack of interest in her.
Queen Elizabeth Catches Up With Penny Romsey
Mary And George V Refused The Romanovs Out Of Defense Of England
When Queen Elizabeth scoffs at their friendship, implying it is inappropriate, Philip doubles down and insists if Elizabeth wants to avoid a scandal, she will need to publicly befriend Penny to explain why Philip and Penny spend so much time together. The implication is clear. Philip won’t end his friendship with Penny, it’s important to him in a non-romantic way, and Elizabeth will have to accept that.Elizabeth is once again inThe Crownseason 5, forced to consider her value as a monarch, not only to England but to those closest to her.
Before she agrees to publicly befriend Penny, Elizabeth wants to size her up. She takes a visit to Penny’s stables, where Penny proves herself a sophisticated, humble, and honest friend to Philip. There’s nothing untoward going on, but Elizabeth still needs to throw some shade, and she does so by firmly refuting Penny’s theory about her jealous grandmother. The Queen reveals the truth to the Lady Romsey.
Asylum for the Romanovs was rejected because Alexandra was seen as pro-German, and at the time, England was involved in a World War against the German Empire. Taking her to England could have caused domestic unrest at the worst possible moment for her country. When Queen Mary heard the news of the Romanov’s murders, she was devastated. Elizabeth explains that as a sovereign, you’re able to never show devastation. The feelings become entwined in your DNA, hidden forever.
It’s likely that the call for help from the Romanovs was already too late and no amount of British intervention could have saved the family from the Russian Revolution.
The Queen thanks Penny for her interest in the family’s history, incomplete as it may be, and invites her to attend church, so that no one jumps to any wrong conclusions about her and Philip’s relationship. Sensing this is more than an invitation, Penny obliges. Elizabeth leaves the stable, endingThe Crownseason 5, episode 6 with a small victory for the Queen. Still, there’s a larger lingering question that perhaps silent devastation can also be a mask for guilt, and as honorable as Elizabeth views her ancestors, there are still secrets and sins in their pasts.
The Crown
Cast
The Crown is a Netflix Historical Drama created by Peter Morgan and starring Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Imelda Staunton. The series follows the life of ruler Queen Elizabeth II, outlining different points in her life.
