Filming for series four of The Crown continued on Thursday, with the streets of London taken back to the 1980s to depict raucous anti-Thatcher and anti-Apartheid protests.
The Netflix hit continues to travel through the ages in its storyline with the upcoming series entering the Thatcher era, where X Files star Gillian Anderson, 51, will take on the role of the divisive Prime Minister, who entered office in 1979 and reigned until 1990, during which she caused much unrest in the country.
On Thursday, actors got to work on filming the scenes, where punk protesters smoked marijuana and jeered at the police while brandishing banners reading ‘Class War’, ‘Yuppie Free Zone’ and ‘Women Against Apartheid’.
Unrest: Filming for series four of The Crown continued on Thursday, with the streets of London taken back to the 1980s to depict raucous anti-Thatcher and anti-establishment protests
Managing to convincingly transform the streets, cars of the era lined the lavish London road while the protesters were donning clothes of the time while faking their drug taking in front of the police.
The anti-Apartheid banners alongside the anti-Thatcher slurs indicate the scenes are set around the early eighties with rising tensions surrounding the Prime Minister’s attitude to unrest in South Africa.
Two years ago, declassified files showed that the Queen was in a rage with Thatcher over her refusal to back sanctions against South Africa and considered scrapping their weekly audience.
The Queen is said to have fumed that the then Prime Minister had damaged ‘her Commonwealth’ by refusing to support hardline actions against the racist apartheid regime.
Back in time: The Netflix hit travels through the ages in its storyline with the upcoming series entering the Thatcher era
The Crown: The X Files star Gillian Anderson, 51, will take on the role of the divisive Prime Minister, who entered office in 1979 and reigned until 1990, during which she caused much unrest in the country
Hitting back: Thatcher protesters are seen gathering in a 1981 demonstration surrounding employment
Her anger, which apparently erupted after a 1987 Commonwealth heads of government summit, is revealed in official Irish files released under the country’s 30-year rule.
A Buckingham Palace source briefed an Irish diplomat on the situation who in turn reported back to the Irish prime minister. The Commonwealth summit took place in Vancouver, with tighter sanctions against South Africa among the issues that were discussed.
During the talks, 47 other leaders agreed to increase pressure on the country to end its apartheid system in which black people were segregated from whites.
Fight the power! The protesters were faced with policemen yet seemed unfazed by the presence of law enforcement
Shock: Her anger, which apparently erupted after a 1987 Commonwealth heads of government summit, is revealed in official Irish files released under the country’s 30-year rule
Fury Recently declassified files have claimed that the Queen was in a rage with Thatcher over her refusal to back sanctions against South Africa and considered scrapping their weekly audience (pictured in Zambia in 1979)
But Thatcher refused to back the calls to end the discriminatory practice – and Britain was blamed for thwarting the move.
The conference ended in bitterness and recriminations among presidents and Prime Ministers from the former colonies. Thatcher was seen as having ‘blundered badly’.
An Irish diplomat based in London reported back to Dublin that ‘she well knows but cannot admit her mistake’.
In September, it was confirmed that Gillian had been confirmed to play Thatcher in the fourth season of The Crown, Netflix. Joining the show’s stellar cast, which includes Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter, Gillian won’t appear in the show until season four, which is set to air in 2020.
Speaking in a statement about the role on Twitter, Gillian gushed: ‘I am so excited to be joining the cast and crew of The Crown and to have the opportunity to portray such a complicated and controversial woman.
‘Thatcher was undoubtedly formidable but I am relishing exploring beneath the surface and, dare I say, falling in love with the icon who, whether loved or despised, defined an era.’
Thatcher’s relationship with Queen Elizabeth II [Colman] was known to be frayed during her term in office. Season four is likely to feature political matters such South Africa’s Apartheid legislation, the Falklands War and 1984/5 miners’ strike.
The new series of the show hit Netflix last week and saw Olivia take on the role of Queen Elizabeth II, taking over the role from Claire Foy. She has been met with mixed reviews for her convincing turn.
Shock: Thatcher’s stance on Apartheid caused rage in both the public and reportedly with the Queen
Class war: The anti-Apartheid banners came in the midst of Thatcher’s scandal surrounding her stance
Party time! Drinking and smoking was the call of the day on the stoop of the house which was adorned with bannners
True to form: Managing to convincingly transform the streets, cars of the era lined the lavish London road while the protesters were donning clothes of the era while faking their drug taking in front of the police
Meanwhile, Tobias Menzies portrays Prince Phillip, following in the footsteps of Matt Smith, as the third season follows the royals from 1964 to 1977. The new series and will depict historic moments such as the 1966 Aberfan disaster, and the first miner strikes between 1972 and 1974.
A key story that will centre around Prince Phillip will be the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon Landing, which is viewed by many as one of the most pivotal moments of the 20th Century.
The Durrells’ Josh O’Connor takes over the role of Prince Charles as he grows into a young man, and will set the stage for his later marriage to Princess Diana through his early romance with Camilla Parker-Bowles (to be played by Emerald Fennell.)
Drugs around: The various protesters were smoking marijuana on the street
Passersby: The protesters were interrupted by passersby who appeared to be some of the said ”Yuppies’
Changes: Season three aired on Sunday, with all ten episodes made available to download. Olivia (left) took over from Claire Foy (right) who played the young monarch in the first two series
Helena Bonham Carter stars as Princess Margaret. Fans will see the turbulent journey in Margaret and Lord Snowdon’s marriage, eventually leading to their split in 1978 – a controversy among the royal family at the time.
Margaret’s marriage to Lord Snowdon (to be played by Ben Daniels) was seen by fans in the show’s second series, as she fell in love with the dashing aristocrat and decided to marry him in what proved a surprise to some.
Jason Watkins will also take over the role of Prime Minister Harold Wilson, and will see him work closely with Queen Elizabeth II to abolish capital punishment and stop discrimination against women and minorities.
Rock on: The police were talking to protesters who were brandishing marijuana
Rock on! The actors were spilling on to the streets as the depicted the protests with incredible historic accuracy