“Fagan” of the The Crown brings to light how Margaret Thatcher was failing the British people and Elizabeth didn’t. Let’s start.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN
Margaret was willing to let millions of people lose employment so she could achieve her economic goals. She pushed a man so far that he broke into Buckingham Palace twice just to be heard. To me, that singles a breakdown of government.
Government is there first and foremost to serve the people. This man was not heard. Every time he tried to talk to someone he was pushed away. By the local unemployment office, his local MP and he sure as shit wasn’t going to be heard from Parliament. So he went to the only person he thought would listen to him about Margaret Thatcher, his Queen.
Just the blasé way that Elizabeth reacts to his first attempt to break into the palace baffle me. I get not wanting to be constrained even more, but someone essentially broke into your house. That isn’t something to take lightly.
Then the second time that he broke in she was more wary and afraid, thankfully. Which is the more level headed reaction. But she still took the time to serve her duty as Queen and be accessible to her public. She listened to his complaints and pondered on it. That’s more than what a lot of people in her position would have done.
“Fagan” is hardly the most excited episode of this season on The Crown, but I think it was an important one to show us Elizabeth’s devotion to her public and that she is willing to listen. Wish she just listened to the rest of her family as well.
The Crown is now streaming on Netflix.
