In the final episode of season four, Prince Philip told Princess Diana that everybody in their family is "a lost, lonely, irrelevant outsider apart from the one person the only person that matters," that person being Queen Elizabeth II. The central figure of their family and Netflix's The Crown is "the essence of all their duty." While many members of the Royal family struggle with a sense of identity and feel shackled by their titles, the Queen seems to take it all in stride. It's important to remember that much of the show is historically inaccurate, though.
Her fancy costumes and financial security aside, the Queen's life is actually far from perfect. Just like the rest of the Royal family, she also had to give up her personal hopes and dreams to serve one of the last standing monarchies in the world.
She Didn't Want To Become A Queen
One of the saddest things about Princess Margaret is that she would have loved to be the Queen, and, if it had been up to Elizabeth, she would let her be. The older sister was much more reserved and introverted, so she wasn't too excited about the notion of becoming the Queen one day.
Elizabeth's father dying wasn't only tragic because he was so young, it also made Elizabeth one of the most important people in the world in a heartbeat.
She's Not Charismatic
Elizabeth is not usually considered to be as likable and charming as her sister. Her lack of natural charm was the most obvious the time she met the Kennedys.
Elizabeth did her best to make a good impression, and she truly thought she did well, but she later found out that Jackie completely trashed their meeting. There were a few times we felt truly sorry for Elizabeth, and this one was one of them.
Elizabeth's Friendship With Porchey
Season three of The Crown introduced a minor character that Queen Elizabeth seemed to really like. Porchey was her friend and the horse racing manager. They shared their passion for horses and even traveled to France and the States together in order to visit training facilities for horses.
Their friendship even raised suspicions in Prince Philip, so Queen Elizabeth had to reassure him that they are just friends: "there are those who would have preferred me to marry him. Indeed, marriage with him might have been easier, might have even worked better than ours. But, to everyone’s regret and frustration, the only person I have ever loved is you." The Queen and her husband really have a knack for heartbreaking quotes.
She Lacks Freedom To Do What She Wants
During her trip with Porchey, it became evident that, if it was up to Elizabeth, she would lead a very different life. She would much prefer to dedicate her time to horses and stay far away from the crowds. Queen Elizabeth felt best in nature, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
It's easy to feel envious of her. After all, she doesn't have to lift a finger. But, then again, she lacks autonomy and freedom to do whatever she wants. Since she is so stoic, there is no hope that things would ever be different for her.
She Feels Awkward With Her Children
Queen Elizabeth's lack of maternal instinct got its very own episode in season four's "Favourites." She arranged to meet all of her children in hopes to figure out who her favorite was. All of the interactions were formal and a little bit awkward, which comes as no surprise, as she was barely involved in raising them. Seeing her interact with Charles was the most painful to watch. Even though he turned out to be quite an antagonistic character in season four, we all felt sorry for him when the Queen showed him no motherly love.
While Diana struggled to part ways with baby Will during her visit to Australia, Queen Elizabeth recollected having no problems with that at all.
Torn Between Being A Wife And A Queen
Queen Elizabeth is a woman with traditional values. Unfortunately, she couldn't be both a submissive wife and her husband's sovereign without some sort of conflict arising. If she weren't the Queen, she would let her husband have a say and let her children bear his name, but that wasn't possible for her.
Prince Philip had quite a fragile ego, which was more evident in his early days when he was played by Matt Smith. He struggled with always coming in second, and he took out his frustrations on Queen Elizabeth, even though it wasn't her fault.
She Pretends Everything Is Fine
Most of Queen Elizabeth's family struggles to carry out their duties with as much poise as she does. Charles and Margaret are clearly struggling and want to talk about it, but Elizabeth prefers turning a blind eye to everything that is pestering her family, hoping their problems will go away on their own.
The Queen is pretty stubborn when it comes to not confronting her family members. When she does, she reminds them of their duty, but it's like her family doesn't speak the same language as her.
The Complicated Relationship With Her Sister
Elizabeth clearly loves her baby sister, and she didn't find any joy in preventing her from marrying Mr. Townsend. As Margaret slipped deeper and deeper into her depression and substance abuse, Elizabeth felt like her hands were tied.
Elizabeth could have given Margaret more work since her lack of purpose in life is what troubled the princess the most. Even though it's neither of their faults, Margaret harbors resentment towards her sister since the Queen is always in the spotlight, while she lies in bed until noon.
Her Hands Are Tied When It Comes To Politics
In season four, Queen Elizabeth welcomed a new prime minister, Margaret Thatcher. The two butted heads over apartheid in "48:1," and the Queen even went as far as condemn her publicly, which is something that Michael Shea had to pay the price for.
The Queen is supposed to know what goes on in Great Britain, but, when it comes down to it, she has no power over politicians.
The Weight Of The Crown Is Heavy
Queen Elizabeth dedicated her life to serving the Crown, and it's clear that her private life suffered immensely for it. She's a dutiful and responsible woman by nature, but her position only further solidified those personality traits and made her even more rigid.
Because she is the Queen, she doesn't share her bedroom with her husband, she doesn't know her children that well, and she lives a life according to a strict schedule someone else draws up for her.