Crown Caught

 

I recently revived my old subscription to Netflix and, out of idle curiosity, have been watching the latest series of “The Crown.”  The fictional depiction has now reached the Princess Diana chapter, the object of which continues to be to denigrate Great Britain in general and the Royal Family in particular.  Nevertheless, there is a certain appeal in the photography, the sumptuous sets and the props, cars and aeroplanes in particular.  The plot is anchored on the social superiority of the Royals and the utter oikishness of the rest of us, including former Prime Ministers.  I find it fun to look out for gaffs and inconsistencies.  Last episode, for example, I was horrified to observe Her Majesty tackling her poached salmon with an ordinary knife and fork.  There could be a couple of explanations: either the butler failed to set the table correctly with fish knives and forks or Her Majesty, inadvertently, picked up the wrong implements.  Presumably all the other guests, anxious not to draw attention to the Royal mistake, would immediately pick up the wrong implements and enjoy their fish accordingly. And then there was a scene shot in the VIP cabin of one of the Royal Flight aircraft in which the cabin windows were square.  We all know, of course, of the fatigue stress problems with square windows in early marks of the Comet aircraft.  That is why they were made elliptical in later modifications. 

Nevertheless, it is entertaining TV even if the main attraction is shouting at the set.  Mushroom is eagerly looking forward to series five, to 29 June 1994, when a Royal BAE146 with the Prince of Wales at the controls careered off the end of the runway at Islay Airport.  Doubtless the scriptwriter, Peter Morgan, will contrive a nail-biting disaster sequence for the benefit of viewers but he will be pushed to better the truth for entertaining television.  Mushroom knows what really happened but, in fear of his head, his lips are sealed.