‘The Crown’ Season 6 Part 2 Ending Explained — A Final Tribute to a Queen

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for The Crown Season 6/series finale.

The Big Picture

• The final season of The Crown focuses on the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death and the struggles of the Royal Family to cope with their grief.
• Queen Elizabeth II gives her blessing for Prince Charles to marry Camilla, recognizing the importance of their union for the future of the monarchy.
• Elizabeth reflects on her mortality and questions whether she should remain on the throne, but ultimately decides to continue serving and overseeing preparations for her own death.

While the final season of The Crown weathered some criticism for its controversial depiction of Princess Diana’s death, the series was able to return to its original premise by focusing its final moments on the reign of Queen Elizabeth II (Imelda Staunton) and the incredible legacy that she left behind. Although The Crown often diverted its focus on major historical events, extended members of the British Royal Family, and the controversies relevant to the era, the final episode, “Sleep, Dearie Sleep,” features Elizabeth wrestling with her legacy and mortality as she considers the future of the monarchy itself. While The Crown may be a bit too celebratory of the figures it depicts, it’s hard not to see the final stretch of the show as a moving tribute to one of the icons of history.

Elizabeth Gives Charles Her Blessing to Marry Camilla

The final season of The Crown picks up in the aftermath of Princess Diana’s (Elizabeth Debicki) death, where the Royal Family is still struggling with how to process their grief in public. Although Charles (Dominic West) is heartbroken by his ex-wife’s death, he believes that the nation needs to move forward in order to cope with the tragedy. Charles’ sons, Prince William (Ed McVey), and Prince Harry (Luther Ford), are less willing to move forward. William struggles with the attention he receives from the media and lashes out at his father. The two Princes also come into conflict when Charles insists to his mother that he finally be allowed to marry Camilla Parker Bowles (Olivia Williams), whom he has loved since before he even met Diana.

Charles’ relationship with Camilla has always been controversial, as the two remained lovers when they were both married. The British commonwealth’s overwhelming support for Diana made it even more difficult for Charles and Camilla, as the press vilified their relationship in the wake of her death. Although Elizabeth refuses to admit that Charles is without blame, she recognizes that allowing her son to remarry will be essential to ensure the future of the monarchy. To have a future King “living in sin” would be unthinkable, and so Elizabeth consults with members of the Church of England to determine the parameters of the marriage. It is decided that it is in the best interest of the nation for the two to marry in a civil ceremony.

Although Elizabeth gives Charles and Camilla her official blessing, she first consults with her grandchildren in order to gain their approval. While neither son is excited about the possibility of calling someone other than Diana their mother, William recognizes that his father’s happiness is more important. While William previously blamed his father for his role in Diana’s death, he has come to recognize that Charles was not to blame. A public inquiry led by Mohammed Al-Fayed (Salim Daw) into the death of his son, Dodi (Khalid Abdalla), continues to attract unwanted attention from the press; William recognizes that Charles and Camilla’s union will earn the good graces of the commonwealth during a difficult time.

Elizabeth Reflects on Her Mortality in ‘The Crown’ Season 6

Charles and Camilla’s wedding is set shortly after the entire nation comes together to celebrate Elizabeth’s fiftieth year on the throne. While the ceremony allows the nation to find joy during a time when Prime Minister Tony Blair’s (Bertie Carvel) politics have increasingly become unpopular, Elizabeth questions whether she should remain on the throne. Her conversations with Blair expose her to the reality that she may not be as connected to the people that she represents as she once was. Charles continues to earn public support through his charitable outreach programs, and appears to be the “modern” leader that could give the nation a future. Should she abstain from duty, Elizabeth could ensure that Charles is properly positioned to be the leader that the nation needs in the 21st century.

Although the possibility of living out the rest of her life as an average citizen is seductive, Elizabeth decides to remain on the throne after receiving visions of her past selves. These moments include cameo appearances from previous The Crown stars Claire Foy and Olivia Colman, who question Elizabeth’s decisions by reminding her that she never had the opportunity to have a normal life. She is now the longest-serving monarch in history, and to give up power in the last stage of her life would be a disservice to her legacy. Elizabeth realizes that it is her obligation to serve, as the possibility of living a “normal life” ended when her father, George VI (Jared Harris), became King in the episode “Hyde Park Corner.” Although her discussion with Blair leads Elizabeth to realize that royal traditions may not have the public support that they once did, she recognizes that it is her role to ensure that they still exist.

‘The Crown’s Final Episodes Revolve Around Elizabeth Planning for the End

In order to ensure that she receives the legacy that is befitting of her service, Elizabeth oversees preparations for “Operation London Bridge,” the official plan put in place in the case of her death. A similar plan, “Operation Forth Bridge,” is developed in the case of Prince Philip’s (Jonathan Pryce) death. The deaths of the Queen Mother (Marica Warren), and Princess Margaret (Lesley Manville) have reminded Elizabeth that death is coming for everyone. Although initially, she faces these decisions with trepidation, Elizabeth begins to enjoy the process of selecting a bagpipe tune titled “Sleep, Dearie Sleep” that will be played at the reception for her funeral.

The final episode of the series ends with Elizabeth walking out of St. George’s Chapel, where she will one day be buried, toward an illuminated doorway, symbolizing her death. While The Crown was still in production at the time of Elizabeth’s death in 2022, it’s possible that the ending was retrofitted in order to give her a proper sendoff. Season 6 dedicated the majority of its attention to the next generation by developing the relationship between William and Catherine Middleton (Meg Bellamy). However, focusing on Elizabeth’s reign in the episode’s last moments serves as a reminder of the incredible span of time that Peter Morgan‘s series covered.

The Crown is streaming on Netflix.

Watch on Netflix