The Crown – Season 6 Part 1 Episode 4 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

Aftermath

What happens in the aftermath of Diana and Dodi’s accident?

The first scene of The Crown Season 6 Episode 4 takes place at the Balmoral Castle office in Scotland, when they learn that Diana has been seriously injured in Paris. The castle is informed that Diana has been taken by ambulance to the hospital. The news also reaches Prince Charles through his sources.

A phone call informs Mohommad Al-Fayed that his son, Dodi Al-Fayed, was killed on the spot in the Paris car crash. This absolutely crushes him. Following this, Mohommad Al-Fayed first goes to the Paris tunnel, where his son died. He then goes to the mortuary where his son has been kept and cries while thinking of Allah.

How do the princes learn of and come to terms with Diana’s death?

The palace learns of Diana’s death not long after. We also see the hospital, where Diana’s passing has shocked and disturbed the staff. Following this, the royals decide to let the two princes sleep and to inform them about their mother’s death in the morning.

Prince Charles goes for a walk the day after his ex-wife’s death and is overcome with grief. Following that, he confides in Camilla over the phone, telling her that Diana’s passing will go down as the greatest event in history. He then explains to her that he needs more time before telling the boys the news. He proceeds by telling her that, as long as they’re asleep, they still have a mother.

Prince Charles then pays a visit to Prince William’s room not long after. He wakes him up and asks him to be brave. Following that, he reveals Diana’s death to him gently. This leaves William feeling miserable to the point where he goes utterly silent.

Prince Charles and Prince William then pay a visit to Prince Harry’s room after that. He learns of his mother’s passing from Prince Charles, and his grief is profound.

How is the Queen handling the news of Diana’s passing?

To protect the boys from learning more about the tragedy, the palace has decided to temporarily shut off television and other forms of transmission. Prince Charles has a conversation with the Queen about this and makes her understand that the seniors need to monitor the public mood. However, the Queen is more concerned with keeping an eye on the atmosphere in the home, particularly the boys’ emotions.

Charles suggests flying Diana’s body from Paris to the UK later that day using the royals’ private jet. The Queen claims that only members of the royal family are entitled to this privilege. Charles, however, continues by asking the Queen if Harold’s van is suitable for bringing the body of the future king. Queen Elizabeth stays silent and nods her head in agreement with this.

How does Prince Charles process his feelings?

Charles flies to Paris to see Diana in the mortuary. He sobs upon witnessing his deceased ex-wife lying in bed. Shortly after, he is seen flying back to the UK with Diana’s body. Here, he seems to have a brief exchange with Diana in an effort to reach closure. He shares a heart-to-heart with Diana, in which he reveals his emotions and speculates on her reaction had she been physically present.

After Dodi’s passing, how does Mohommad Al-Fayed deal with his grief?

According to Mohommad Al-Fayed, Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed were engaged before their tragic deaths. He writes a letter to the royal family, expressing his sorrow and hoping to draw them closer to him. For Diana’s burial, he additionally presents a silver plaque with an engraved poem that was a present from her friend Dodi. He also sends over some of Diana’s belongings, including the birthday present she bought for Harry.

Following this, he goes to the mosque where his son’s funeral is being held. When he gets home, he finds out that the palace sent the plaque back without even acknowledging it. This saddens Mou Mou, so he has an imaginary discussion with his late son. After hearing his side of the story, he realizes he had unrealistic hopes for his kid and the West.

How does Prince William deal with his loss?

When Charles eventually arrives at Balmoral Palace, he asks the Queen to hold a proper service for Diana. However, the Queen is hesitant because Diana is no longer a member of the royal family after divorcing Charles. Charles admits he disappointed Diana during her lifetime but vows not to do the same in death.

Prince William overhears some of Charles, the Queen, and Philip’s conversation. Following that, William goes outside for fourteen hours. Both within and outside the palace, everyone is searching desperately for William. However, he returns back by himself after fourteen hours.

What pushes the Queen to reconsider her decision?

The following morning, Charles asks the Queen to change her mind, explaining that the people and the prime minister would like a royal ceremony and want the Queen to speak to the public about Diana’s death. When Charles leaves, the Queen has a conversation with Diana, who isn’t actually present, but the Queen is imagining what Diana would’ve said. The Queen tells Diana that she finally managed to turn the house upside down. Diana responds that she didn’t mean for it to happen. She goes on to tell the Queen that she taught them what it is like to be British. However, now it might be time for the Queen to learn something as well.

The conversation serves as a catalyst for the Queen to deliver a national address in which she mourns Diana’s passing. Following this, a royal funeral service is held for Diana, and we see Charles, William, and Harry following after the casket. Given that they didn’t know Diana, Prince William wants to know why everyone is so upset. He asks Philip why they’re sobbing, and Philip tells him it’s not for Diana but for him.

How does Queen Elizabeth deal with her loss?

The concluding scene of the episode shows the queen praying before her bed. She is seemingly lost in thought and prayer, allowing herself to experience the full range of her feelings in the wake of Diana’s death.

The Episode Review

In episode 4, after the horrific car crash involving Diana and Dodi, Charles and Mohommad Al-Fayed fly individually to Paris to take charge of the situation. On the other hand, Queen Elizabeth’s apathy as the entire world mourns has prompted anger and concerns from Prince Charles.

The impact of the deaths of Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed is explored in this episode. We see the manner in which the royals process and grieve for their loss. Although fictional, the depiction of their grief and the ways in which they dealt with it was moving.

Additionally, we also see things through Mohammad Al-Fayed’s point of view, which honestly is excessively dramatized to the point where it’s simply distasteful. This is one of those cases where the writers seem to want us to feel sympathy for a character, but we just can’t.

Overall, the show was interesting and touching, though slightly overdramatized. It seemed a little out of place for Diana to speak with Charles and the Queen and for Dodi to speak with Mohommad Al-Fayed, considering that this is actually a historical drama and not a supernatural one. We get that there was a psychological motivation behind this, yet the whole thing still came off as strange. Having said that, the exchanges were profound and touching.

With only one more part left to air before the series ends, it will be exciting to watch where The Crown leads us in its second installment of Season 6.