The Crown

The wildly popular Netflix Original series The Crown follows the young Queen Elizabeth II from the 1940s through to modern times. The first two series starred Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth and Matt Smith as Prince Philip, while the third and fourth series spanned the years 1964–1990 with Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies at the helm. The fifth series, which lands on Netflix on 9 November, covers the royals in the 1990s. Here we explore the real history behind the show...

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Pod Annie Sulzberger WL (1)

Netflix’s The Crown: history and storytelling . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales in 'The Crown' (left) and Princess Diana touring an

The Crown S6: the real history in the royal drama

Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown, and the real Queen Elizabeth II

Netflix’s The Crown: the real history behind the royal drama

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Vod Annie Sulzberger WL

Video podcast Netflix’s The Crown: history and storytelling . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton Buckingham Palace, following their wedding at Westminster Abbey, 29 April 2011. (Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage)

How to marry a monarch . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Rufus Kampa as Prince William

The Crown S6: the challenges of telling the story of living royals . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales, accompanied by Rufus Kampa as Prince William and Fflyn Edwards as Prince Harry

“Haunted, in more ways than one”: A historian’s review of The Crown S6, part 1

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c1952: Queen Elizabeth II with a young Prince Charles and Princess Anne in the grounds of Balmoral Castle, Scotland. (Photo by Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Getty Images)

What was Queen Elizabeth II like as a mother? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Charles, Will and Harry from 'The Crown' compared to a real picture of Charles and William.

The Crown season 6 cast vs their real-life counterparts

Diana and Charles in Canada, 1986

Charles and Diana: a history of their marriage

Elizabeth is borne from Westminster Abbey in a gold coach first used for the state opening of parliament by George III in 1762. (Getty Images)

Becoming Queen: Elizabeth II’s coronation

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Pod Philip Murphy WL

Writing the history of the modern monarchy . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Tony Blair (Bertie Carvel) and Cherie Blair (Lydia Leonard) in 'The Crown'

The Crown S5 E10 real history: the HMY Britannia‘s final voyage, and a political landslide

Princess Diana's 1995 interview with Martin Bashir.

The Crown S5 E8 real history: Diana’s Panorama interview causes fireworks

Camilla (Olivia Williams) in 'The Crown'.

The Crown S5 E5 real history: ‘Camillagate’ tapes and a “war council” for the monarchy’s survival