Queen berates Tony Blair over Iraq in final episode of The Crown – as Olivia Colman and Claire Foy reprise their roles as monarch speaks to former self about whether she should abdicate in favour of Charles

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• SPOILERS AHEAD 
• The Crown came to dramatic conclusion today with the release of final episodes 
• Read More: Separating fact from fiction in the last ever episodes of The Crown

The Queen is seen berating Tony Blair over the Iraq war in the final episode of The Crown – as Claire Foy and Olivia Colman reprise their roles to help the monarch decide if she should abdicate the throne.

Netflix released the final six episodes of the hit series – which followed the late Queen becoming monarch in 1952 right up to King Charles’ second wedding in 2005 – this morning.

The episode – titled ‘Sleep, Dearie Sleep’ – depicts a particularly tense exchange between the late monarch and the former Labour PM, after crowds of protestors are shown outside Buckingham Palace holding signs reading ‘Bliar’.

The scene opens with Tony Blair – played by Bertie Carvel – discussing the public outrage over Prince Harry’s Nazi fancy dress costume in one of their weekly meetings.

While examining the front pages of newspapers, The Crown’s Blair tries to find common ground with Harry and tells the Queen: ‘I was a troublemaker at school. 

Pictured: Tony Blair – played by Bertie Carvel – is criticised by the Queen in the final episode over his handling of the Iraq war

The Queen informs the Labour PM that it is ‘not working out too well’ in Iraq and appears unimpressed with his ‘exit plan’

‘I was repeatedly caned by my housemaster. We all make mistakes in the flashes of youth.’

Clearly distressed by Harry’s actions, The Queen – played by Imelda Stauntion – replies: ‘Rarely as gross a misjudgement as this.

‘A Swastika armband two weeks before Holocaust memorial day.’

The PM then informs the Queen, who previously had a nightmare of Blair being crowned King, that the public has a ‘great deal of affection’ towards Harry and recommends that a ‘period of contrition should pave the way to forgiveness’.

Steering the conversation towards the UK’s image on the global stage, The Queen asks: ‘Is that the advice you’ll be giving yourself over Iraq?’

The PM appears stunned and speechless that the Queen has broached the subject.

She continues: ‘I think we can agree things are not working out too well over there.’

After a brief pause and throat clearing, Blair says: ‘My hope is that the democratic election scheduled for the end of this month will inform the beginnings of an exit strategy that will allow us to close this chapter, Ma’am.’

Later in the episode, Claire Foy and Olivia Colman reprise their roles to help the monarch decide on the future of the monarchy

The Queen – who has been briefed on her funeral arrangements earlier in the episode – then looks wistful as she says: ‘Exit strategy.

‘That’s a subject that’s been coming up a lot recently.’

Later in the episode, the Queen is seen having a conversation with her younger self – played by Olivia Colman from seasons three and four – about stepping down as monarch. 

While in her stables, Olivia suddenly appears while throwing a bucket of water on the dirty floor tiles and says: ‘You coward, why didn’t you tell [Philip]?

‘What you’ve been thinking since you first started working on your funeral? In fact, since the Golden Jubilee… how tired, not just tired, exhausted you are about all this.

‘How ready you are for a rest. And at the same time, how ready [Charles] suddenly looks.’ 

In the episode, Prince Harry’s controversial Nazi fancy dress costume is discussed by Tony Blair and the Queen

Episode six opens with the Queen having a nightmare about Tony Blair being labelled ‘King Tony’ and seeing the politician and his wife Cherie on the thrones at Westminster Abbey.

The younger Queen then goes on to remind her older self of all the previous monarch who have stepped down to allow their heirs to rule.

The younger Queen says: ‘You’ve been on the throne for half a century, that’s longer than any other Queen.’

The Queen then reminds her: ‘What about Queen Victoria?’

Her younger self then says: ‘How effective was she by the end? Dramatically blind and unwell, hidden away on the Isle of Wight and almost 80 years old […] That’s nearly 20 years past the retirement age for women.’

When the current Queen urges her that there is ‘no need to go on’, her younger self adds: ‘That’s what I’m saying, there is no need to go on. 

‘Your first loyalty has always been to the crown, sometimes at the expense of being a mother. Stepping down is the right thing to do, as a Queen and as a mother.’

Queen is seen writing a speech to give at Charles and Camilla’s wedding – where it appears she is planning to announce her abdication.

While turning to watch the news coverage on TV, Claire Foy – who played the younger Queen in seasons one and two – appears and says: ‘I don’t know what you think you’re doing.’

The current Queen then replies: ‘I’m doing the sensible thing, the responsible thing.’ 

After telling her younger self that she doesn’t want the crown to be seen as ‘decrepit’, The Crown’s first Queen then reminds her of the oath she took at her coronation. 

Her younger self says: ‘You’re fit enough to ride or drive so you’re fit enough to wear the crown […]

‘Monarchy is something you are, not what you do. The Crown is a symbol of permanence, of stability, of continuity. If you step down, you’ll be symbolising instability.’

While the current Queen insists she is seen as ‘decrepit’, her younger self says she is actually ‘confident’ and ‘liberated’ in her older age.

She goes on to say: ‘You say Charles is in his prime. Well, I see you in yours. Admit it, you sometimes think there is a difference between you and the rest of the family.

‘It comes naturally to you and they all seem to make such a mess of it.’ 

Fighting back tears, the current Queen says: ‘What about the life I put aside? The woman I put aside when I became Queen.’

Her younger self then replies: ‘What sort of question is that? For years now, there has been just one Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth. 

‘If you went looking for Elizabeth Windsor, you wouldn’t find her. She’s gone. Long gone. You buried her years ago.’ 

The episode finishes with both the Queen’s younger selves appearing before the current monarch at St George’s Chapel within the grounds of Windsor Castle.

The Crown’s final Queen sees her younger self from VE day at the altar before being followed out of the chapel by Claire Foy and Olivia Colman.

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