The Crown – Act of God

By: Lindsay Flanagan

High above the English countryside the Duke of Edinburgh (Matt Smith), who is the Marshall of the Royal Air Force, is having his first flying lesson. RAF veteran Peter Townsend (Ben Miles) takes Philip on barrel rolls and loops, giving him a view like none other of his new homeland. It’s apparent by the smile on Philip’s face that at least up here, he feels unencumbered by his position—the royal chains are shed once the plane takes flight.

Although this is planned to be the first of many flying lessons, their meetings are halted by the appearance of thick fog that engulfs the country’s capital. The Meteorological Office had predicted the Great Smog and had sent an urgent letter of warning to the Prime Minister. They sent it to him despite their belief that Churchill (John Lithgow) wouldn’t bother to read it and if he did, he wouldn’t do anything about it. Before Churchill has a chance to dismiss the letter, it is opened by one of his Downing Street employees, Collins (Jo Stone-Fewings), who sees it as a chance to unseat the Prime Minister. Collins takes the letter to former Prime Minister Clement Attlee (Simon Chandler) and says Churchill won’t address the impending crisis despite the dire warnings. Years before, an incident involving poisonous smog occurred in Donora, Pennsylvania, which caused the deaths of 20 people and thousands of others became very ill. The Donora incident prompted both parties in the UK to send a team of researchers to assess what had happened, which resulted in them recommending clean air precautions. As Collins and Attlee discuss this prior incident, Attlee states that he never saw the delegates’ report—to which Collins provides evidence that Churchill threw the report away, stating it wasn’t of importance, and instead continued to urge citizens to burn coal to heat their homes—which also fueled the economy.

While Collins speaks of ushering out the Prime Minister another Downing Street employee, Venetia Scott (Kate Phillips) is undeniably awed and loyal to Churchill. She takes a copy of his autobiography home, where she chooses to read it all night rather than go out with her roommate. She says she will be “spending time with someone remarkable.” Churchill’s words of “the earth is yours…take up the mantle of change” seem ironic as they carry the scene out of Venetia’s home and into the London night, where the smog is descending upon the city making the night darker than normal with no promise of light in the morning. As the citizens wake the next day, a news broadcast is reporting that the Meteorological Office has issued a statement that the choking smog is due to an anticyclone which is trapping smoke from the chimneys at ground level.

The smog has halted the city’s transportation, so rather than driving to her grandmother Queen Elizabeth (Claire Foy) is escorted on foot to keep her visiting appointment. Queen Mary (Eileen Atkins) has been ill and confined to her bed, but she listens intently as her granddaughter tells her the smog is being reported as an “act of God.” Elizabeth asks Mary if she really believes that God is a part of all this. Mary responds she does, in fact, believe it as Elizabeth’s role as the monarch—a calling form God himself—is to be answerable to God not to the public. Elizabeth says Philip would argue that church and state should be separate, but Mary brushes that away giving a long list of prior monarchs who answered to the Church of England—not to Denmark or Greece where Philip’s royal line is from. “Next question?” Mary asks, as if the matter is settled.

The theme of God being the source of the smog is prevalent throughout the episode, with Churchill insistent on it being an act of God and it will clear on its own. The Labour Party though insists on the scientific evidence that it is due to the pollution and something needs to be done. When Churchill doesn’t respond to the crisis right away, Attlee is urged to call a vote of no confidence, but he refuses saying, “The Prime Minister needs to be given a chance. Even if it’s only to hang himself.”

But back in Downing Street, Churchill is being reminded of all his past accomplishments by Venetia, who questions her own purposes and contributions. Churchill tells her that she “improves the quality of life for all who kneel” with her. She protests and reminds him of everything he had done at her age. He seems bothered by her praise of his past, but when she quotes him word-for-word and tells him that he was filled with “passion, energy and hope,” that he was “remarkable” he says, “You found something you like in that young man?” She replies, “I did.”

Perhaps the scene was to remind viewers that Churchill is no longer a young man with new ideas, but an old man with antiquated ones. On the second day of the Great Smog, it covers over 30 miles and rather than discuss the crisis with the Queen, Churchill presents the issue of the unrest in Egypt due to anti-colonialists. Elizabeth breaks in and asks what his latest reports are regarding the weather, to which he responds, “It’s fog, m’am. It will lift eventually.” Elizabeth expresses her concerns over the matter, stating that she was hoping for more scientific answers. She reminds Churchill that her late father had written to Churchill’s predecessors with deep concern regarding the power stations his party had built. Churchill makes it a point to tell her that after saving her subjects from fascism, tyranny and a World War, he isn’t going to now let them freeze to death by banning the burning of coal.

As Churchill’s anger rises, he insists again that it is only weather and it will pass. Elizabeth attempts to lighten the discussion by saying she hopes it does because it would help her husband’s mood. She explains he has been unable to fly in this weather. This only infuriates Churchill more—cabinet should have been consulted before Philip “risked his life needlessly” by taking flying lessons. Elizabeth begs him not to restrict Philip’s personal freedoms any longer. Cabinet dictated where they live and what name they would take—she doesn’t want to see Philip’s boyhood dream taken away. Churchill grumbles as he leaves and night falls on the city again, although it’s hard to tell with the smog cloaking the sun.

On the third day, the newscast says the government is expected to make a statement regarding the crisis. Venetia is getting ready to head to Downing Street, but ends up taking her roommate to the hospital who has become extremely ill due to the poisonous smog. While she swims in darkness through the fog, Churchill is meeting with his cabinet who are pushing him to address the situation. Again he insists it’s only weather. Not only insists—he slams his hands down on the table, startling all of the cabinet members. Instead of discussing the poison that is killing citizens, he wants to discuss the Duke of Edinburgh’s new hobby. This prompts Lord Salisbury (Clive Francis) to contact Lord Mountbatten (Greg Wise), Philip’s uncle, and tells him that the Prime Minister is not willing—or not able—to deal with the national crisis. Mountbatten visits the Queen and suggests that she urge Churchill to step down—even insist that he be removed from office due to incapacity. While the hospitals are overflowing with those who have fallen sick from the smog or have been involved in accidents due to zero visibility on the roads Mountbatten recounts to Elizabeth that Churchill only wants to discuss Philip’s flying lessons.

One of those citizens in the overcrowded hospital is Venetia, who was struck by a bus after taking her roommate to the hospital. Venetia is not taking up space in a bed, however; sadly, the accident killed her. Churchill is informed of the news and insists on going to the hospital. Seeing her there seems to awaken something inside him. He requests that his assistants notify the press he is at the hospital and he makes a statement to them and to the citizens: “Only God can lift the fog. But I, as Prime Minister, am in a position to ease the suffering. To that end, I pledge to make available with immediate effect more money for hospital staff, more money for equipment and a full and independent public inquiry into the causes of the air pollution to ensure that such a calamity may never befall us again.”

Elizabeth and Philip read these words the following morning in newspapers that herald Churchill as a “true leader in time of crisis” and his popularity with the people is as strong as ever. In an unspoken agreement, Elizabeth chooses not to insist upon his resignation and Churchill allows Philip to continue flying. The fog lifts, the sun comes out again and England and its leaders are ready to face another day.