| Mystery Man | Episode Summary | Cast and Characters |
- "Do you know, I've been Queen barely ten years. And in that time I've had three Prime Ministers. All of them ambitious men, clever men, brilliant men. Not one has lasted the course. They've either been too old, too ill or too weak. A confederacy of elected quitters."
- —Queen Elizabeth II regarding her Prime Ministers served under her rule
Mystery Man is the tenth and final episode in the second season of The Crown.
Synopsis[]
A salacious government scandal hits close to home for Elizabeth and Philip. Elizabeth retreats to Scotland for rest during a difficult pregnancy.[1]
Episode Notes[]
Historical Events[]
- The Profumo Affair was a scandal that developed in March 1963. It emerged that John Profumo, Prime Minister Macmillan's Secretary of State for War, was engaged in a sexual affair with a nineteen-year-old would-be actress and model named Christine Keeler. The two met at a house party organized by osteopath Stephen Ward, who rented a cottage on the Cliveden estate. After initially denying any misdeeds to the House of Commons, Profumo eventually admitted the liaison, leading to Macmillan's resignation "on health grounds" in October, 1963.
- Beyond the Fringe was a widely popular comedic stage revue from 1960 to 1964 which featured Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Jonathan Miller, and Dudley Moore, and was known for its groundbreaking satirical portrayal of authority. It is regarded as hugely instrumental in starting the British "satire boom" of the 60s. A notable instance in the revues were Cook's impersonations of Harold Macmillan, one of which was done while Macmillian was himself in attendance.
- March 10, 1964 - Birth of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar
Historical Figures[]
The Profumo Affair[]
- John Profumo: PM Macmillan's Secretary of State for War
- Christine Keeler: an aspiring model and actress, who attended house parties organized by Stephen Ward. She engaged in a sexual relationship with John Profumo, and may also have been involved with Captain Yevgeny Ivanov, a Soviet naval attaché, leading to questions about national security. Coincidentally, Keeler died on December 4, 2017, four days before the release of season 2 of The Crown.
- Mandy Rice-Davies: Keeler's friend, also an aspiring model, and another attendee at Ward's parties. Davies and Keeler met while they were topless showgirls at Murray's Club in Soho, which drew a distinguished clientele.
- Stephen Ward:
Historical Notes[]
- The Queen was 37 when she became pregnant with Prince Edward. In the 1960s, her pregnancy would have been considered high risk, requiring extended bed rest and close monitoring of the mother. By contrast, her granddaughter-in-law, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge carried her third child, Prince Louis, at 35 while maintaining a full schedule of royal engagements.
Trivia[]
- In the final scene, Prince Philip said "For Christ's sake! Take the photo!" is a reference to a real life event where the real Prince Philip said "Just take the f-----g picture!".
- The aformentioned real life event took place in 2015, two years before this episode aired.
- He would repeat the same phrase in the series finale.
Gallery[]
References[]
| Season 2 |
|---|
| Misadventure • A Company of Men • Lisbon • Beryl • Marionettes • Vergangenheit • Matrimonium • Dear Mrs. Kennedy • Paterfamilias • Mystery Man |