The Crown season 6 episode 10 recap: Ending explained
How does the royal drama come to an end?
After six seasons full of drama, some historical and some more recent, royal drama The Crown has now come to an end.
The final season was split into two parts, with the latter half dramatising the relationship between Prince William and Kate Middleton, the royal reforms implemented during Tony Blair's term in office and the death of Princess Margaret.
The final episode, meanwhile, shows the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla, as well as a scandal surrounding Prince Harry.
But what else happens in The Crown's final episode, and how does it all come to an end? Read on for everything you need to know.
What happens in The Crown season 6 episode 10?
At the start of The Crown finale, Charles asks Camilla to marry him – as long as his mother grants them permission. He asks for the Queen's blessing, and while she initially seems unconvinced, she later seeks advice from the Church of England's bishops.
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They suggest that while a church service would be unacceptable, a civil ceremony in which the couple both seek forgiveness for past misdemeanours (adulteries in their previous marriages) could work.
Following this, she meets with William and Harry to ask their own opinions. William says that while he doesn't like the idea of his father marrying, he accepts that Camilla makes Charles happy and settled. Harry is less convinced, and later accuses William of "caving".
The Queen informs Charles of her decision – the couple will be permitted to marry.
Meanwhile, the Queen is also summoned to a meeting, where Philip and other members of the Royal household convince her to get involved in the planning for Operation London Bridge – the preparations for her funeral.
While Philip is "stimulated" by planning for his own funeral, Elizabeth is more skeptical and emotional about the prospect.
During a planning meeting, the Queen later says that her preference for a funeral would be a "quiet service in Scotland, out of sight and over in 20 minutes". However, her advisors note that people will want to celebrate her reign, as the longest-serving monarch in history.
The Queen asks to speak with the Piper to the Sovereign, who suggests the song Sleep, Dearie Sleep for her funeral.
William, Harry and Kate attend a fancy dress party for one of their friends, where Harry wears a Nazi uniform. He is photographed by one of the guests, who sells the images to the newspapers. This creates a scandal surrounding the young prince, but Philip smooths things over with the army and ensures he is still able to enlist, as was previously planned.
Tony Blair attends his weekly meeting with the Queen amid protests surrounding the Iraq War.
The planning for her funeral leaves the Queen in a contemplative mood, as she reflects on her life. This leads her to consider making a speech after Charles and Camilla's wedding, announcing she will abdicate and let Charles ascend the throne. Helping her to make the decision are two imagined versions of her younger self, with Olivia Colman and Claire Foy reprising their roles.
The Queen makes her speech following the wedding, and there is no hint of her questioning her own position. William hints to the Queen that he knew what she had been struggling with, and she tells him that he needs to look after Harry, because spares need "extra care and attention".
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How does The Crown come to an end?
After Charles and Camilla's wedding reception, Philip and Elizabeth talk in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, where he expresses his doubts that those who will come after her are "remotely ready" to take on the crown. He says that Elizabeth was "born ready", and that she is one of a kind.
He says they won't have to worry about that, as once someone else takes over, they will be buried in that very chapel, while he also expresses his belief that the Monarchy will come to an end after they are gone, as "the system no longer makes sense".
Philip leaves, and Sleep, Dearie Sleep plays, as Elizabeth acknowledges the women she has previously been. She is saluted by her younger self (Viola Prettejohn) before turning and being flanked by two other younger versions of herself (Colman and Foy). She then leaves the chapel on her own.
The Crown season 6 is available to stream in full on Netflix now. Seasons 1-5 are also available now. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto see what's on tonight.
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