"The Crown" wraps up: a character study of Charles
The final season of the series "The Crown" stands apart due to the portrayal of Diana's death and the raw emotions exhibited by the usually imperturbable Charles. The creators initially portrayed him with empathy and understanding, but that depiction was curbed only by Harry. This behind-the-scenes insight into Charles’ character development comes from Dominic West, who plays Charles in the series.
The narrative pivot of the sixth and ultimate season of "The Crown” is the demise of Lady Diana. The actions and attitudes of the central characters will be influenced by this sad event. The present king chose to represent himself as a man of flesh and blood.
"The concluding episodes depict Charles at his life’s bleakest moment. We filmed a few intense scenes packed with Charles's tears," Dominic West shared in a Netflix interview.
West faced the challenge of portraying a father who had to lead his sons through a period of intense grief following a significant loss and offer them a level of closeness they had not experienced before.
"I have two sons around the same age as William and Harry were in 1997, so it was not difficult for me to empathize with Charles's feelings. I found myself siding with him. I also grasped his anguish when, in the latter half of the season, William lashes out at him, casts him aside, filled with anger, refusing any communication," Dominic West revealed.
West admitted the most challenging scene was when the prince had to break the news of Diana's death to his sons. Initially, the script painted Charles as heavily emotional, but they had to revise it at the eleventh hour when Harry released his autobiography.
"In his book, Harry mentioned that his father did not embrace him at all, but merely placed his hand on his knee, reassuring him that things would be alright. This necessitated a change in the scene. Nonetheless, I still perceive Charles as an emotional and open individual, even if he might appear formal in public," West concluded.
The first four episodes of the sixth season of the series "The Crown" will premiere on Netflix on November 16.
