I participated in my very first podcast recently, agreeing to be part of the panel for The Talk of the Times, hosted by The Canberra Times broadcaster extraordinaire Steve Evans, only because it was something I could talk about for hours - the Royals. (Usually I avoid broadcast anything like the plague after agreeing to go on a panel with former ABC Radio Canberra presenter Rod Quinn years ago and suffering a very bad case of rabbit-caught-in-the-headlights. Basically, couldn't get one sensible word out. Not pretty.)
So, the podcast was about the drama series The Crown, the cultural phenomenon about Queen Elizabeth, her reign and her family, now streaming on Netflix and no doubt raking in the mega-bucks for the service as many subscribers sign up just to watch it.
There was a lot of talk on the podcast about The Crown being, ultimately, a work of fiction and how much credence it should be given. (More on that later.)
But, what I did fail to discuss was how very right The Crown does get it, at least when it comes to the important stuff.
That's right, the clothes. Specifically those worn by actress Emma Corrin playing Princess Diana. They are a glorious, nostalgic indulgence.
Watching this fourth series of The Crown, which concentrates on the relationship between Charles and Diana, we kind of all know the story and understand what comes next. No spoiler alerts needed here. But what I was waiting for wasn't the next plot twist, but the next iconic outfit to make its appearance.
From the Sloane Ranger skirts, boots and jackets of Lady Di to the off-duty patterned jumpers to the blue engagement suit, they are all there. So, too, the fabulous blue frock with the cinched-in silver belt Diana wore during her 1983 tour of Australia, a gown by Britain's Bruce Oldfield, one of her go-to designers. The ruffled magic of her wedding dress with its almost eight-metre-long train is shown all too briefly. And the very feminine frocks she wore to greet the adoring crowds are recreated in amazing detail.
My youngest brother, also an enthusiast of The Crown, dared to suggest the producers were making fun of Diana's fashion. He is much younger and could not comprehend she had been a style icon.
It must be remembered this was peak 1980s. Teenage girls might be wearing bubble skirts and fluorescent socks, but they were also wearing Laura Ashley frocks and Country Road shirts with shoulder pads the size of a loaf of bread. Fashion was conservative. In any case, Diana could do no wrong. She was perfection. And while there has been plenty of criticism around the veracity of The Crown, the performance by Emma Corrin as Diana is a tour de force. Her mannerisms are down pat. She really is Diana. And the clothes only enhance the illusion.
Yes, I am a tragic Royals fan. I was 10 when Charles and Diana married and I remember waiting up with my mum to watch the wedding. I even did a school project on Diana. I bought into the fairytale. And The Crown revels in the misery of the so-called true relationship, as Charles apparently can't be without Camilla.
There has been much written about the liberties taken by The Crown, even though its producers are clear it is a work of fiction. A good place to start is Hugh Vickers' The Crown Dissected, the British writer going through every episode to point out the errors. (Download from Amazon for $5.42).
At the surface, Vickers is very concerned with protocol breaches and timeline mistakes made by The Crown.
But he also firmly believes Charles has been hard done by in a story dominated by Diana's perspective. It is sad, all around, but Vickers does hilariously recount a scene, from The Crown, when Charles and Diana visit a very young Prince William at his boarding school.
His mother is warm and full of hugs , his father cold as a fish, barely touching William as they farewell him.
"I was waiting for Prince William to be swiped on the head by a golf club [by Charles], but maybe they are saving that as an opener for Season 5," Vickers wrote.
In the end, the only real conclusion is that the Royals are all human, with their own truth. Safer just to enjoy the frocks.
