Netflix's critically acclaimed historical drama The Crown returns for a sixth season, focusing on the British royal family in the tumultuous 1990s. One of the most striking episodes is a meeting between Princess Diana and Kate Middleton, who was just beginning to associate Prince William at the time.
Although Diana's meeting with Kate never happened in real life, as Diana died in 1997, and Kate didn't enter the royal scene until more than a decade later, the writers of the series conceived a fictional meeting between the two iconic women. The scene rightfully piqued the interest of royal fans eager to see the two legends on screen together.
However, actress Meg Bellamy, who played young Kate in the second half of the season, now has some explanation for the background of the scene. In an interview with Metro, Bellamy admitted that the scenes of Diana and Kate are "full-story" and are not intended to reflect any real historical events, as no footage of their interactions exists.
As Bellamy rightly points out, this meeting is only to move the plot forward and arouse the interest of the audience, and not to be faithful to the recorded royal history. Diana and Kate's roles in the royal family are in completely different eras, so there is no factual basis to recreate the conversation between them.
The actress admits that it's more about the possibility of fictional stories than accuracy. "Especially since there is no video material of Kate, and there is no historical event that we reproduce. For me, it's all written for dramatic effect. Bellamy explained. Her comments confirm what viewers should expect – The Crown employs some creative freedom in creating a compelling storyline, rather than committing to retelling past royal life in a documentary style.
Of course, as a historical work, the series requires a certain amount of imagination when filling in the gaps and speculating on intimate moments of the royal family that cannot be factually recreated. The encounter between these two important women sparked viewers' interest in their potential exchanges and perspectives in the royal spotlight. However, Bellamy rightly reminds us that this is only a fictional plot of the author, not a historical event in reality.
As amusing as it is to see Diana and Kate appear on screen together, this scene cannot be seen as a revelation of their actual relationship or perception of each other. The two royals lived in completely different times and faced different challenges. While they undoubtedly find resonance in marrying into the royal family and dealing with public scrutiny, any depiction of their interactions is only hypothetical.
The Crown never claims to be a documentary, but rather a dramatized portrait framed by historical events. In this context, creating an imaginary dialogue between Diana and Kate, the current Princess of Wales, is an understandable creative choice, though not entirely based on non-fiction. Bellamy's frank admission of this gives the viewer a correct understanding of the plot.
At the same time, one can appreciate the significance symbolized by the play about the parallel journey of these two remarkable women and the legacy they left behind in Britain's most famous family. As early millennials who breathed new life and glamour into the royal family, Diana and Kate each helped reshape their image in the public perception of royal consortia. They all exude empathy, charisma, and a commitment to philanthropy.
Thus, while the depicted meeting did not actually take place, it is likely that this brief fictional exchange touched a real sentiment for many people about Diana and Kate's solidarity as the leading women who left a deep mark on the House of Windsor. For the drama of The Crown, putting them together is a tribute to their shared place in royal history, if only in the imagination of the creators.
Yes, Bellamy offers a sensible perspective on understanding fictional scenes as dramatized narratives rather than documentary reenactments. The sixth season of The Crown promises a lot of compelling fictional subplots to end the modern royal saga. While creative freedom is part of this elegant series, adding transparency to historical facts and imagination helps viewers appreciate both elements properly.
By writing the encounter between Princess Diana and Kate Middleton into a scene, the series rightfully sparked anticipation, but as Bellamy points out, the context is key. The interaction between them doesn't really happen, but instead represents an intriguing prospect of two real forces meeting each other, designed by the story's builders to achieve maximum impact. For fans of The Crown's vision of the British royal family in the 20th century, this should be enough – not to confuse art with real life.
Sometimes, fiction can symbolically present an imaginary meeting on a screen, provoking thought and appreciation, even if it is not fact. From a creative standpoint, the scene of Diana and Kate seems like a fitting tribute to the end of recent royal history in The Crown.
Both women have undoubtedly left their mark on Britain's most famous family and have influenced each other through their shared roles, even if they never spoke – making the imaginary pairing on screen a touching, if not literally true, prospect.