The Crown has managed to be a fan favourite over the year in spite of the truth already being out there. What attracts viewers to the show is a chance to get to know the royals and their lives closely.
To understand the power of the monarchy and how it has affected the world in which we reside today. A third person’s perspective into the life of the longest-living monarch Queen Elizabeth II.
However, given that it is a show with imagined dialogues and verbatim speeches, there have been instances where reality was bent to reach a more creative conclusion. And without a doubt, that has caused some debate on how a historical drama show has been historically wrong.
To highlight a few of these inaccuracies Best of Netflix has gathered a list of five such moments on the show that royal fans found were not close to reality.
Five historically inaccurate moments in The Crown
5. Queen Elizabeth II’s Wedding Speech
Who seems to be the fan’s favourite amongst all the actors of the Queen, Claire Foy, along with Matt Smith, played the roles of Elizabeth and Philip respectively. In one of the beginning episodes, Queen Elizabeth gets married to Philip Mountbatten at the prestigious Westminster Abbey.
Based in the year 1947, the show highlighted how the Queen was hesitant and nervous about one of her first public appearances and got stuck during her vows. However, her father, King George VI wrote a letter where he highlighted how proud he was of his daughter seeing her so ‘calm and composed’ on her big day.
Very contrary to the nervous Claire Foy we witnessed in the show.
4. King George VI’s cancer
Jared Harris, who plays King George VI, coughs up blood in one of the debut episodes. This is set before the Queen’s wedding in 1947. The show also shows how he was rushed to get surgery, with Winston Churchill being one of the first few people to know that the King was dying.
However, records prove that the King was never diagnosed before the year 1951. Precisely a year before his passing. The surgery that he indeed went through was based on a circulatory issue that was causing him severe leg pain.
3. Wilson’s re-election
Harold Wilson (Jason Watkins) is shown to have been re-elected as the Prime Minister set in the month of August 1973. However, he never won the general election before the month of February in the following year 1974.
In the same episode, the resignation of Harold Wilson was also shown, along with the Queen reaching her Silver Jubilee.
2. Break-in at the Buckingham
In the month of July back in 1982, Michael Fagan had broken into Buckingham Palace twice within the interval of just a few days.
The reason behind the breaking-in was portrayed as the man’s attempt at expressing anger toward Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) to the Queen directly. However, it was revealed previously that the real reason behind the break-in was based on a few psychological issues he was facing.
Initially charged with theft of wine, Michael Fagan was later exempted for his condition. He was not arrested for trespassing in the Queen’s own bedroom as it was not considered criminal.
1. Princess Diana and her pregnancy
Set in episode seven of season four, the family is seen to rejoice and celebrate Prince Edward’s birthday who was then played by Angus Imrie.
Following the celebrations of the royals, it was announced that Princess Diana (Emma Corrin) was pregnant with her second child, that is on 10th March 1985.
However, Prince Harry was born in the month of September of the year 1984. Which places it six months prior to Prince Edward’s birthday celebrations.
At the end of the day, this marvellous and grandeur piece of show is a historical drama. Having a few inaccuracies doesn’t take anything away from the fact that it is a beautifully orchestrated and well-researched show overall. Catch the newest season of The Crown currently streaming on Netflix here.
Watch the trailer for the newest season below.
