The Crown's Series Finale: A Poignant Conclusion to a Regal Journey

The Crown's Final Moments

In the concluding moments of The Crown, viewers are treated to poignant appearances from former Queen Elizabeth II actors Claire Foy and Olivia Colman, bringing closure to Netflix's long-running series. The rotating cast of characters always provided powerhouse performances, but there's no denying just how satisfying it is to see Foy and Colman standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Queen Elizabeth's final actor, Imelda Staunton.

Olivia Colman, Imelda Staunton and Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown series finale

Queen Elizabeth spends the bulk of the show's final episode planning her own funeral and preparing for Charles' (Dominic West) marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles (Olivia Williams). After the royal family takes wedding pictures and the crowds fade away, Queen Elizabeth spends a final moment with her long-time husband, Prince Phillip (Jonathan Pryce), in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Standing in their future final resting place, the couple have a meaningful exchange about the end of the monarchy's relevance.

Elizabeth looking wistful in The Crown

Imelda Staunton's Queen Elizabeth has conversations with her younger selves in The Crown season 6 finale. When Prince Phillip leaves Queen Elizabeth alone in St. George's Chapel, she takes in the space, her mind still dwelling on the funeral she planned for herself. After a moment, an unseen bagpipe player begins an unmistakable funeral dirge, and it becomes clear that the musician is a figment of Elizabeth's imagination.

Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown series finale

Generations of Queen Elizabeth Standing Together

The Crown season 6, part 2 adds a fourth Elizabeth actor to the mix: Viola Prettejohn plays a teenage version of the character, before she takes the throne. Prettejohn's version of Elizabeth, wearing her military garb, stands in the chapel and salutes Staunton's queen, who returns the gesture. In a soon-to-be iconic shot, Staunton's Queen Elizabeth II stands in front of the altar, flanked by two out-of-focus figures in black mourning apparel. When the camera focuses on the figures, it's clear that they're Olivia Colman and Claire Foy — Queen Elizabeth's more recognizable younger selves from previous seasons of The Crown.

Teenage Elizabeth salutes Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown finale

Although Claire Foy and Olivia Colman return for one of The Crown's final shots, neither actor has any lines. In fact, after Phillip leaves the chapel, the show's final sequences are just set to music, leaving the viewer to put all the symbolism together. The shared scene of the three generations of Queen Elizabeth standing together is incredibly powerful, marking the end of an era for the royal family and the monarchy as they were once perceived.

The Real Meaning of The Crown's Ending

The Crown's final season culminates in a wedding, yet it's still a tragedy marking the end of the royal family as they were once perceived. The imagined death of Queen Elizabeth in The Crown isn't just about her — it's about the death of the monarchy. Claire Foy and Olivia Colman's cameos, joining Imelda Staunton, allow three generations of Queen Elizabeth II to stand together and envision the end — of Elizabeth, of the monarchy, and of The Crown.

Olivia Colman As Queen Elizabeth II In The Crown

The series finale's powerful scenes and significant symbolism mark the end of an era for the royal family and the monarchy as a whole. The cameo of three generations of Queen Elizabeth II standing together is a poignant and satisfying conclusion to Netflix's long-running series, leaving a lasting impact on viewers.

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