Ep. 24 - THE CROWN - Where Duty Rules
Claire Foy as Elizabeth II in The Crown. Photo credit: Netflix
“Elizabeth, holding steady. And that’s another adaptive leadership — holding steady throughout her time…and again, completely focused on duty, sometimes to everyone’s detriment.”
Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley, author, Transforming Conflict
In episode 24 The Boston Sisters talk with Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley, author of “Transforming Conflict,” about leadership portrayals of Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Diana, Princess of Wales in the NETFLIX drama series THE CROWN now in its 5th season.
THE CROWN is a fictional drama inspired by real events during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II (1926 - 2022) in the last half of the 20th century. The series is created by Peter Morgan based on his play, “The Audience.” Morgan also wrote the screenplay for the feature film, THE QUEEN, directed by Stephen Frears.
Guest: REV. DR. TERASA COOLEY
Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley is a Unitarian Universalist minister who has served congregations across the US. She is an avid observer of human communities, group dynamics, social systems and ways in which trauma affects individuals and communities. Reverend Cooley is the author of the book, Transforming Conflict (Roman & Littlefield), which explores ways in which conflict may be used as an opportunity for learning and growth.
Connect with Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley: webpage | Facebook | LinkedIn
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THE CROWN (Seasons 1 and 2)
In THE CROWN series, Queen Elizabeth II is portrayed by a different actress every two seasons to mark the passage of time. In seasons one and two, Claire Foy portrays the young Elizabeth and the emerging leader.
THE CROWN (Seasons 3 and 4)
Emma Corrin (Diana, Princess of Wales), Olivia Colman (Queen Elizabeth II), Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) in THE CROWN Photo: Netflix
In seasons 3 and 4 Olivia Colman portrays Elizabeth II facing the challenges of managing her young adult children, and her duty as sovereign in navigating an icy relationship with Britain’s first woman Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson). And a new addition to the family, Diana Spencer (Emma Corrin), becomes Diana, Princess of Wales when she marries Charles, Prince of Wales (Josh O’Conner) and future heir to the throne. Diana brings youth and glamour to the Royals’ brand, but at a price.
THE CROWN (Season 5)
In Season 5, The Queen is portrayed by Imelda Staunton. Jonathan Pryce plays Prince Philip. Prince Charles is played by Dominic West, and Princess Diana is played by Elizabeth Debicki. Duty continues to be the primary theme in this story and is joined by concerns around diplomacy, democracy, and divorce.