- The final scenes of Netflix's "The Crown" appeared to predict the royals' current predicament.
- One scene showed a conversation between the Queen and Prince Philip about the next generation of royals.
The final moments of Netflix's "The Crown" seemingly predicted the state of the royal family in the aftermath of Queen Elizabeth's death.
The last episode of the historical drama series is set in 2005, almost two decades before Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022 after a record-breaking 70 years on the throne.
It features a sendoff of sorts for the British monarch, who is played by Imelda Staunton, when she is joined by younger versions of herself and imagines her own funeral taking place.
Before that, though, the late Queen has a prescient conversation with her husband, Prince Phillip, who died just over a year before her.
Standing in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, the place where they will both be buried one day, they discuss the fact that the next generation of royals are "not remotely ready to take over."
"The good thing is, it's not our problem," Philip assures the Queen. "This is where we will be, you and I. Right under this stone. We'll never hear the screams from inside there."
While the Queen chides Philip for his dark humor, she can't help but agree.
"The system makes no sense any more to those outside it, nor to those of us inside it."
"We're a dying breed, you and I. I'm sure everyone will carry on, pretending all is well," Philip continues before definitively adding: "But the party's over."
King Charles ascended the throne upon Queen Elizabeth's death on September 8, 2022. Though he initially received a positive response from the British public, things took a turn before the king's coronation.
The royal family is in chaos
In January 2023, Prince Harry's bombshell memoir, "Spare," was published, revealing previously unreleased details about his fallout with the royal family.
One of the most shocking allegations was that William physically attacked Harry during a 2019 confrontation about Meghan Markle, whom William had referred to as "abrasive," "rude," and "difficult," according to the book.
Harry also wrote that he believed Camilla had leaked stories about other family members, including Meghan, to the press.
Buckingham Palace did not respond to any of the allegations in the memoir.
Then in May, the public's freedom of speech was brought into question after Graham Smith, leader of Republic, the UK's anti-monarchy group, was among a handful of people to be arrested on the day of King Charles' coronation.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police released a statement to Sky News expressing "regret" over the arrests and said an investigation was unable to prove that the protesters had intent to disrupt the event.
Speaking to BI in July, Smith said he hadn't received an official apology from the palace over the incident. Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted by BI.
The incident highlighted Smith's campaign to abolish the monarchy, which appears to have only strengthened amid recent events.
The king's role has understandably been scaled back, but now some believe there is a lack of leadership within the institution — and many have questioned its future. The most recent Sovereign Grant report showed that the royal family cost British taxpayers £86.3 million, or about $110.5 million, during the 2022-23 financial year.
That brings us forward to "Katespiracy," the most recent royal scandal to make headlines around the world.
Kensington Palace announced in January that Kate Middleton had received planned abdominal surgery and that she likely wouldn't return to royal duties until Easter.
But Kate's prolonged absence marked a shift in the palace's PR strategy. Charles was pictured in public shortly after his diagnosis, while Kate completely disappeared.
The situation led to mounting speculation and conspiracy theories about Kate's whereabouts, from rumors about her marriage to William to suggestions that something more sinister could be taking place behind the scenes.
Kate released an official photo with her children to mark Mother's Day on Sunday. The photo was likely intended to stop public speculation, but it did the opposite after it was recalled by major photo agencies that said it had been manipulated.
"Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," Kate said in a statement posted to X.
She apologized "for any confusion" the photo caused. Kensington Palace did not respond to further requests for comment.
"As the Princess of Wales, she will always be held to a different standard, and I do not think that the public statement had the desired effect of downplaying the matter," Evan Nierman, Founder and CEO of crisis communications firm Red Banyan, previously told BI.
"All it did was raise more questions than it answered, which means future photos will be carefully examined for years to come," he added.
Nierman's prediction has already begun to take form.
Instagram has since added an "altered" tag to the photo on Kate and William's account. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's "The Media Show," Phil Chetwynd, global news director of the photo agency AFP, said Kensington Palace was no longer considered a trusted source.