Gold Stick (The Crown)

"Gold Stick" is the first episode of the fourth series of the historical series, The Crown. It, along with the season in its entirety, was released on 15 November 2020. It was written by series creator and executive producer Peter Morgan, and directed by executive producer Benjamin Caron.

"Gold Stick"
The Crown episode
Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 1
Directed by	Benjamin Caron
Written by	Peter Morgan
Original release date	15 November 2020 (2020-11-15)
Running time	54 minutes
Guest appearances
Angus Imrie – Prince Edward Tom Byrne – Prince Andrew Freddie Fox – Mark Thatcher Rebecca Humphries – Carol Thatcher Charles Edwards – Martin Charteris Richard Goulding – Edward Adeane Penny Downie – The Duchess of Gloucester Sam Phillips – Equerry Isobel Eadie – Lady Sarah Spencer Letty Thomas – Virginia Pittman Allegra Marland – Carolyn Pride Flora Higgins – Anne Bolton Michael Colgan – IRA Lieutenant Geoffrey Breton – Mark Phillips Kevin McNally – Bernard Ingham Paul Jesson – Sir Geoffrey Howe Nicholas Day – Jim Prior Richard Syms – Lord Hailsham Peter Pacey – Lord Soames Paul Bigley – John Nott Don Gallagher – Willie Whitelaw Guy Siner – Francis Pym Patrick Toomey – Philip's Private Secretary Callum Coates – Butler at Althorp Andrew Piper – Balmoral Master of the Household Laura Cairns as Balmoral Maid Ronald Moger as Reporter Alex Harland – Newsreader Harriet Benson – Patricia Knatchbull Valerie Sarruf – Dowager Lady Brabourne Brandon Whitt – Timothy Knatchbull Evan Whitt – Nicholas Knatchbull Mark Carlisle – Lord Brabourne Patrick McBrearty – Francis McGirl Mark Brennan – Thomas McMahon Gerard Ban Lavery – Fisherman Rob Curling – Showjumping Commentator David Kerr – Showjumping Judge Richard Stirling – Showjumping Timekeeper Roy Sampson – Laurens van der Post Amy Searles – Kanga Michael Buerk – Newsreader (voiceover) John Humphrys – Newsreader (voiceover)
Episode chronology
← Previous "Cri de Coeur" Next → "The Balmoral Test"
The Crown (season 4)
List of episodes

Starring in this episode are returning cast Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II, Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret, Josh O'Connor as Prince Charles, Marion Bailey as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and Erin Doherty as Princess Anne, all of whom have reprised their roles from the previous season.

Joining cast members include Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher, Emma Corrin as Lady Diana Spencer and Stephen Boxer as Denis Thatcher. Charles Dance makes his final appearance in this episode as Lord Mountbatten.

For their performances in this episode, Menzies and Dance were nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series respectively, with Menzies winning the award.

Plot

The episode begins with the 1979 Trooping the Colour. Charles, Prince of Wales, meets a young Diana Spencer at her family home in Sandringham whilst picking up her elder sister Sarah, to go on a date. Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Party win the 1979 election, and she becomes the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. During her first private audience with Queen Elizabeth II, Elizabeth assumes that Thatcher will fill her first cabinet with women. Thatcher rebuffs this idea because of her view that women "are generally not suited to high office".

The Royal family travel to Balmoral Castle. Princess Anne is considering retiring from her career as a professional showjumper, but Prince Philip attempts to talk her out of it. Lord Mountbatten is holidaying with his family at Classiebawn Castle in County Sligo, Ireland. Mountbatten makes a telephone call to Charles, who is also on holiday with friends in Iceland. Mountbatten requests to meet him in London, but Charles rejects as he will be spending time with Camilla Parker Bowles, which results in an argument because of Mountbatten's views against her. Mountbatten writes a letter to Charles before joining his family on their boat to go lobster fishing. As their boat travels slightly from the coast, it explodes after a bomb was planted on it by members of the IRA, killing Mountbatten, one of his grandsons, and the boat boy. The Royal family and Thatcher are informed of his death.

Charles reads the contents of Mountbatten's letter, writing critically of his affair with the married Camilla and instructing him to find a suitable wife, whom the public will love as a princess and, in due course, as queen consort. In a telephone call with Elizabeth, Thatcher promises to defeat the IRA. As part of a detailed set of instructions for his own funeral, Mountbatten specified that Charles should deliver the reading. A jealous and inebriated Philip tells Charles that Mountbatten was like a father to him, and expresses bitterness at having been replaced by Charles. As Mountbatten's funeral goes ahead at Westminster Abbey, the IRA declares war on Britain.

Anne competes in the 1979 Badminton Horse Trials, riding on Elizabeth's horse, Goodwill, finishing in sixth place. Charles meets Diana again at Badminton, who passes on her condolences about Mountbatten and praises him for eulogising his funeral. Charles telephones Sarah, requesting her permission to ask Diana on a date, which she grants. Diana, now living in a flat in Earls Court with her friends, travels back to Sandringham to meet Charles.

Production

"Gold Stick" was written by the series creator and executive producer, Peter Morgan, and directed by Benjamin Caron. It is the first episode in the fourth series and the tenth episode overall directed by Caron.

In April 2019, Emma Corrin was cast as Lady Diana Spencer for the fourth season.^[1] In September 2019, Gillian Anderson, who had been rumoured since that January to be in talks to portray Margaret Thatcher in the fourth season, was officially confirmed for the role.^[2][3]

Reception and trivia

The episode title references Lord Mountbatten's position as Regimental Colonel of the Life Guards, one of the two Household Cavalry units charged with protecting the Queen, and the nickname associated with the gold-headed stick that the Colonel carries as well as Lord Mountbatten's personal relationship with the Royal Family, particularly Princes Philip and Charles.

In a four-star rating by Sarene Leeds of Vulture.com, she wrote that the episode's opening seemed "fitting for 2020" because of it being "resoundingly bleak." She describes the Queen as being "steadfast" and having "learned very little" regarding her children's personal and love lives.^[4]

References

1. Hall, Ellie (9 April 2019). ""The Crown" Just Cast Its Princess Diana". BuzzFeed. from the original on 9 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
2. Dahir, Ikran (7 September 2019). "Gillian Anderson Will Be Playing Margaret Thatcher In 'The Crown'". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
3. Dahir, Ikran (7 September 2019). "'The Crown' Officially Confirms Gillian Anderson As Margaret Thatcher For Season Four". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
4. Leeds, Serene (15 November 2020). "The Crown Season-Premiere Recap:The Troubles". Vulture.com. Retrieved 6 April 2021.