The Crown – Season 6 Episode 2 “Two Photographs” Recap & Review

Two Photographs

In keeping with the episode’s title, we are first introduced in The Crown Season 6 Episode 2 to two photographers named Mario Brenna and Duncan Muir.

When asked about his goals, Mario says that one day he hopes to be as popular as the personalities he photographs. Duncan, on the other hand, appears more grounded. Additionally, he looks up to Queen Elizabeth and praises her quite a bit.

The action then shifts to the royal family having a meeting. They find out that Diana may be dating Dodi Al-Fayed. Since Mohammad Al-Fayed was trying to get British citizenship, they believe he may have been involved. The royals are in agreement that Diana’s antics could cause trouble for the family.

Following that, we see Diana at Saint-Tropez, where she is meeting up with Dodi. Mohammad Al-Fayed has reportedly asked his staff if Diana and Dodi are hooking up. The assistant then responds positively to his inquiry.

Mohmmad Al-Fayed has hired photographer Mario Brenna to take a hidden shot of Diana and Dodi on the yacht so that they can officially announce their union. Mario Brenna is successful in getting the press to publish a photo of Diana and Dodi kissing.

A few days later, Diana is spending time with Princes William and Harry as they’re about to head to Balmoral Castle in Scotland with the royals. Dodi then gets in touch with her to warn her that the media is preparing to leak their photos. Diana, however, doesn’t let this ruin her fun with the boys.

Diana insists on a hug from William and Harry before they leave. William doesn’t seem to like Dodi, but Diana defends him as a nice guy. While dropping the princes, Diana has a conversation with Charles. Charles suggests that they embrace the positives of their separation and learn to coexist peacefully. Diana agrees with Charles, and the two appear to share a touching moment of mutual understanding.

After a few days, Diana travels to Bosnia to check out the land mines there. She makes an effort to contribute here. However, after the intimate photos of her and Dodi are leaked, that’s all anyone can talk about.

When her majesty receives word of Diana’s photographs being distributed to the press, she nearly feels sorry for her. However, since she has a grudge against Diana, she doesn’t feel too badly for her.

Charles is upset upon learning of the leaked photos because he had just made amends with Diana. His press secretary, however, informs him that Diana has spread the news that he had the children in her care so that he could spend time with Camilla. The press secretary seizes the moment and convinces Charles to pose for photos with his sons in Balmoral in order to differentiate himself from his wild ex-wife. Charles, still upset at Diana, gives his consent to this.

Following this, Duncan Muir is summoned to Balmoral to take pictures of Charles spending time with his sons. Duncan Muir takes a picture of Charles and the kids posing by the river.

As intended, the photo shoot successfully highlights the differences between the partners’ everyday lives. Near the end of the episode, Diana can be seen sitting on the yacht in a blue outfit, taking in the view of the sea.

The Episode Review

In episode 2, as Diana and Dodi’s relationship develops, they take a romantic trip to the southern part of France to avoid prying eyes on the sea. As payback, Charles fakes a fatherly picture with his kids.

The previous episode did a great job of laying the groundwork for what was to come. This episode, however, overdramatizes things to the point that they become distasteful.

It’s also important that we point out that Charles’s cheating on Diana with Camilla was presented incredibly brutally. On the other side, Diana having an affair with Dodi while being fully aware that he has a fiance is downplayed to the point where it is showcased in a romantic light. In light of this, it’s obvious that the show favors one side over the other and isn’t providing an unbiased portrayal of the situation, despite the fact that it is largely fictional.

Since the season had gotten off to an excellent start, we can only hope that it continues that way. Nevertheless, we’ll have to wait and see the manner in which the storyline unfolds moving forward.