The Queen (DVD)

“Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.”

This is really not a show about the Queen at all; in fact, a movie based on the short period surrounding Princess Diana’s death only portrays a small slice of the Queen’s life. As a staunch supporter of the English royalty, I was offended in the presumption of Hollywood to title such a moment with such an encompassing name.

Helen Mirren plays the queen with sensitivity and understanding, and just the right amount of nose pointing upwards.

The setting is England in 1997; the defining event is the death of Diana. Mr. Blair, played by Michael Sheen, is the new prime minister, an event that was already cause for change in England.

The conflict is the way details of Diana’s funeral are to take place. The Queen’s desire for a sober, private ceremony are not the wishes of the country, which naturally allows the media hype to dictate their emotional response.

While Mr. Blair comes off as some sort of demi-hero – he does take his turn at washing up the dinner dishes – he is also put smartly into his place at the end of the movie.

I hope the Queen does not think everyone hates her for being more upset over the death of a beautiful fourteen-point stag than she appears to be over the death of her grandson’s mother. She did mention the stoic British tradition of grieving silently to oneself, so who can say what feelings she was actually going through. And who can say the events did take place as the movie portrayed, poetic license and all that.

In the end, she did what was best for her people and for the monarchy.

In the end, she is the Queen.