I finally got around to watching The Queen. It follows the Royal Family and newly elected Prime Minister Tony Blair as they deal with the after math of Princess Diana’s death.
The Queen’s reluctance to engage the media was apparently a rather large story in England. Over here, I don’t recall it being much of a story. It’s an interesting drama though.
The royalty, with a thousand years of precedent and tradition, isn’t often forced to deal with a new phenomenon. The benefit of having royalty is that it puts some institution beyond politics. A president may ‘lie!’ and a Prime Minister may have to defend himself during PMQs, but the Queen is above it all. It’s idealistic and abstract, but I can see why England keeps it.
How then, should royalty respond when one of their former members dies tragically. If Lady Diana had been hated than it would have slipped by quietly, but she was quiet beloved. Her death then becomes an issue of state. The royalty is bound to honor it in some manner simply because the nation grieves as well and they must join.
The acting if phenomenal and they all pretty much look like their counterparts. The scenery is also excellent. Balmoral Castle, the royal vacation estate, is suitably gorgeous for the Royal Family.
All in all, a most fascinating film telling a story that just never drifted my way previously. Worth picking up or renting!
