Top 10 Times The Crown Recreated Real Speeches Perfectly
#10: Prince Charles's Investiture Speech “Tywysog Cymru”
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In Season Three, the Prince heads to Wales for a cultural immersion ahead of his Investiture as the Prince of Wales. At one point during his speech, he switches to the local language, seemingly voicing solidarity with Welsh nationalism. The accuracy of this moment has been hotly debated. However, it seems that what we see might capture the essence of the occasion more than a word-for-word recreation. His speech reportedly unsettled some establishment insiders, who feared it could embolden nationalists. In “The Crown,” the Queen tells her son that no one wants to hear his opinions, but reality suggests there was some concern about his influence.
#9: The Queen Launches HMS Britannia “Queen Victoria Syndrome”
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In season five, the Queen fights to keep her beloved Royal Yacht Britannia afloat. In a flashback, helmed by season one and two actress Claire Foy, we’re taken back to the ship’s launching ceremony in 1953. This scene is actually a pretty accurate recreation of the real event. Sure, “The Crown” stretched out the Queen’s address, but her final statement is basically the same. If those yacht walls could talk, we imagine they’d have many stories to share, from historical landmarks to several royal honeymoons. It really meant a lot to the Queen and was often considered a ‘floating palace.’ Reportedly, she even shed some tears when it was ultimately decommissioned in 1997.
#8: Tampongate “The Way Ahead”
When season five addressed this very intimate moment between Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles, many of us were probably thinking, “No, that can’t be real!?” But then why would they make up something as cringy as that? The shock that it’s true is still sinking in, isn’t it? Well, what if we told you that it’s actually an uncomfortably spot-on recreation? For those who remember the 1993 leak, it may feel like a flashback to that confusing time. For others who only learned about it from “The Crown,” it’s mind-boggling to think this isn’t fiction. At least “The Crown” somewhat helped reframe the narrative, redirecting blame to those who recorded, leaked, and shared it.
#7: “Whatever Love Means” “Fairytale”
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This is another moment we can't believe actually happened. In 1981, Prince Charles and Diana gave their first joint interview as an engaged couple. At one point, a reporter strangely asks if the couple is in love. In “The Crown,” Diana confidently says yes, but the Prince’s reaction seems too shocking to be true. Surely, that’s just scripted drama, right? Well, listen for yourselves. The collective crash of everyone's jaws hitting the ground upon discovering he actually said that is deafening. In “Diana: In Her Own Words,” the princess reportedly said, “That threw me completely... It traumatized me.” Talk about a red flag! We wish we could’ve told her to run.
#6: The Panorama Interview “Gunpowder”
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In 1995, Princess Diana's riveting interview with Martin Bashir on BBC’s “Panorama” gripped audiences worldwide. Seemingly, nothing was off the table, including candid talks about mental health and marital struggles. With a reported 200 million global viewership, its impact and the aftermath endured for decades. “The Crown” condenses the almost hour-long interview into a sort of Cliff Notes version that stays true to the real discourse. Reportedly, Elizabeth Debicki, who plays Diana, and Prasanna Puwanarajah, who portrays the journalist, underwent voice and body language training to help them faithfully recreate this widely-watched episode. Also, they couldn’t leave out one of the most infamous quotes to emerge from it, now could they?
#5: The Queen’s 21st Birthday Address “48:1”
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On April 21, 1947, while visiting Cape Town, Princess Elizabeth delivered a speech to the “youth of the Empire” in celebration of her 21st birthday. Season four treats us to this memorable moment in another Foy flashback. If you watch “The Crown’s” version while reading along with the source material’s transcript, you’ll notice how impressively they align. Naturally, “The Crown” had to make some trims— they do have a run time to adhere to after all, but other than that, it’s practically verbatim. Filming it in black and white would’ve been the only way to make it even more authentic. It even concludes with the Princess’ poignant vow to the Empire.
#4: Edward VIII’s Abdication Speech “Windsor”
Season one, episode three, throws back to December 11, 1936, as King Edward VIII publicly announces his decision to step down from the throne so he could marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée. The series once again gives us an abridged take of the actual speech, but the included dialogue is essentially pulled from the pages of history. In his address, the former King delves into the reasons behind his choice and hands over the reigns (see what we did there?) to his brother. Reportedly, BBC staff defied higher-ups to air their interview, even reshuffling their schedule to accommodate it. Today, it’s hailed as a milestone in broadcasting history.
#3: The Queen’s First Televised Christmas Speech “Marionettes”
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Influenced by her encounter with Lord Altrincham in this season two episode, the Queen changes her usual Christmas address from radio to television. We're not sure how much the real Altrincham and his critical article affected her decision, but it seems the Queen herself led this transition, wanting to stay current and connect more personally with the public. Back then, these Christmas greetings were broadcast live, reaching millions nationwide and creating a shared holiday moment with the reigning monarch. “The Crown” impressively revives this experience with striking accuracy, capturing the dialogue practically word-for-word. Plus, Foy skillfully captures the likely nervousness felt by the young Queen during this royal first.
#2: Churchill’s Eulogy for King George VI “Hyde Park Corner”
This former British Prime Minister is renowned for his iconic speeches. Frankly, if we were a writer for “The Crown,” we’d hesitate to tackle the daunting task of reimagining his dialogue, knowing ours would only pale in comparison. So, it’s no surprise they leaned heavily on his actual words when reenacting Churchill’s public address after the King’s passing. Primetime Emmy winner John Lithgow delivers an impeccable portrayal, transporting us back in time with impressive authenticity. He skillfully conveys the emotional impact on Churchill, who shared a tight professional camaraderie with the King during and after the Second World War. The loss of both a monarch and potentially a friend is poignantly felt.
#1: The Queen’s Public Address Following Diana’s Passing “Aftermath”
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In August 1997, news of Diana’s death shook the world. As depicted on “The Crown,” the British public grew agitated, waiting for some kind of public acknowledgment from the monarch. True to history, the Queen eventually issued a televised statement. The outfit and setting seen in the series are spot on, and the dialogue is so accurate she could’ve been reading directly from the Queen’s actual teleprompter. You could seamlessly overlay the two versions, and we doubt anyone would be the wiser. The biggest gripe viewers had was the peculiar lighting choice, which differed from the actual address and needlessly lowered the visual quality. Setting that aside, the precision of this recreation is truly uncanny. Are you impressed by the attention to detail in these public addresses? Did you spot any similarities in other speeches in the series? Let us know in the comments.
