The Crowns Mou Mou episode was very damaging to the Windsors, right?

As of this moment, Im four episodes into The Crown Season 5. Im surprised by whats already been covered and what hasnt, and Im struck yet again by how much of the show will piss off the Windsors. The almost-casual way that Peter Morgan deconstructs the Windsors awfulness, their selfishness, their inherent uselessness. Its incredible.

As of this moment, I’m four episodes into The Crown Season 5. I’m surprised by what’s already been covered and what hasn’t, and I’m struck yet again by how much of the show will piss off the Windsors. The almost-casual way that Peter Morgan deconstructs the Windsors’ awfulness, their selfishness, their inherent uselessness. It’s incredible. While I loved the second episode, “The System,” about Diana’s collaboration with Andrew Morton on Diana: Her True Story, I was fascinated by Peter Morgan’s choice to introduce such an extensive background on Mohamed Al-Fayed in the third episode, “Mou Mou.”

In “Mou Mou,” what Morgan did so well was so people who were considered peripheral to the Windsors’ story – and Diana’s story in particular – when really these peripheral characters expose so much about the racism, carelessness and selfishness of the royals. Mohamed Al-Fayed had been trying to buy his way into British establishment legitimacy for decades, only to be constantly rebuffed and looked down upon. Before now, I had no idea about the life and times of Sydney Johnson either – Johnson was born in the Bahamas, and he began working for the Duke of Windsor when he (Sydney) was just 16 years old. Edward taught him how to be a royal valet, and Johnson served Edward to his last days. Wallis fired Johnson soon after her husband’s passing, and years later, Johnson and Al-Fayed became acquainted, and Al-Fayed hired him as not only a personal valet, but someone who could help him restore Villa Windsor in France.

The story of Sydney Johnson and Al-Fayed is one of outsiders treating each other with dignity, respect and grace all while their societal “betters” treat everyone they encounter like garbage. It struck me as I watched “Mou Mou” that THIS story was worse for the Windsors than any cold recitation of the tampon phone call. Morgan was brilliant for putting Diana with Al-Fayed at the horse show too – it showed the ease with which Diana charmed everyone, and how it came to be that Diana had so much affection for Al-Fayed and he with her. They were both fundamentally outsiders, drawn to each other.

Also: Peter Morgan gave humanity to Dodi Al-Fayed too. He wasn’t just a plus-one in the story of Diana’s final days. Dodi was beloved by his father. Father and son would have done anything for each other. Dodi was there, with Diana, because his father asked him to be there.

Photos courtesy of Netflix/The Crown.

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