The concluding chapter of The Crown's sixth and final season, released on
Thursday, Dec. 14, unfolded with poignant moments. As the historical drama
delved into the aftermath of Princess Diana’s passing, Prince William’s
burgeoning romance with Kate Middleton, and Queen Elizabeth’s tumultuous Golden
Jubilee, viewers found themselves captivated.
While showrunner Peter Morgan has openly acknowledged crafting dramatic
narratives for the series, this season raised questions about accuracy,
particularly regarding a scene depicting a young Kate, portrayed by Meg
Bellamy, crossing paths with William, played by Ed McVey, and his mother,
Princess Diana, played by Elizabeth Debicki, on a street.
In episode 7, Kate, accompanied by her mother Carole Middleton, played by Eve
Best, was seen holiday shopping when they encountered the late Princess of
Wales and the royal heir selling The Big Issue magazine for charity.
Approaching the royals in the midst of a crowd, they offered money to purchase
an issue, prompting Diana to inquire about Kate's name and instructing William
to express gratitude.
The show asserts that this event took place in December 1996, a few months
before the tragic demise of the former Princess of Wales.
The portrayal of this brief interaction left viewers pondering whether the
now-Princess of Wales truly encountered her late mother-in-law. Regrettably,
historical accuracy takes a back seat in this instance, as the former wife of
King Charles passed away several years before Kate and William officially met
in reality, denying them the opportunity to cross paths.
Expressing his lament over this in an interview after their royal wedding in
2011, the future King conveyed, “It’s the one time since she’s died, where
I’ve … thought to myself it would be fantastic if she was here, and just how
sad really for her, more than anything, not being able to see it.” Despite the
absence of this meeting, William emphasized that his mother would have “loved
the day” and expressed sadness that she would never have the chance to meet
Kate.
