Top 10 Behind the Scenes Secrets About The Crown

Top 10 Behind the Scenes Secrets About The Crown

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Behind the Scenes Secrets About The Crown.

For this list, we’ll be looking at facts, stories, and other tidbits from behind the palace gates of this Netflix drama.

Which behind the scene secret caught your intrigue? Let us know in the comments.

#10: The Crown’s Pay Disparity

Despite playing the woman who wears the titular crown, Claire Foy was paid significantly less than her on-screen husband. The producers revealed this fact during an INTV conference in 2018, saying that Matt Smith was better known due to his stint on “Doctor Who,” while Claire Foy was a relative newcomer. However, they vowed that from then on, no one would earn more than the Queen, a promise they upheld when Oliva Colman stepped into the role. According to some sources, Foy later received backpay of $274,000 to close the gender pay gap. Sadly cases like these are still not all that uncommon, and it’s high time that every Queen be treated (and paid) equally to her King (or Prince).

#9: The Pandemic Effected Filming for Season Four

Toward the end of season four’s filming schedule, the Pandemic took hold of the world and brought it to an abrupt halt. According to the show’s creator, Peter Morgan, there were still roughly two weeks of filming to go, but with lengthy global lockdowns, they decided to restructure the episodes to cover up for the missing material. Seemingly it was the avalanche scene from the penultimate episode that was impacted the most. They planned on shooting the titular event, but with borders closing worldwide, they had to resort to plan B. Instead, the focus shifted to the tragedy’s aftermath and its impact on the House of Wales’ marriage. Did you notice any gaps in the story? We didn’t.

#8: John Lithgow’s Trick for Nailing Churchill’s Voice

This wartime British Prime Minister delivered some of the best-known speeches of the 20th century, so his distinct drawl is instantly recognizable. These are huge shoes to fill for any British actor, let alone an American. However, John Lithgow did his homework, and the results are uncanny. The actor noticed how Churchill tended to speak from the back of his mouth, so he initially tried to replicate this trait by stuffing his cheeks with balls of apples. During production, silicone blobs attached to his back teeth helped mirror the sound of Churchill’s “remarkable speech impediments.” The actor also stuffed his nose with cotton to sound more nasal. Talk about commitment to the role!

#7: The Historical Details in Charles’ Investiture Episode

Although “The Crown” famously indulges in creative liberties, many of its storylines are rooted in history. For example, in season three, we see Prince Charles tutored by Welsh National Republican Dr. Edward Millward ahead of his Investiture as the Prince of Wales. Apparently, the showrunners had access to Dr. Millward’s notes from the time he spent with the Prince. Also, Mark Lewis Jones, who plays the teacher, even wore some of his real-life counterpart’s ties. Additionally, the scene depicting Prince Charles’ big ceremony was reportedly filmed in the exact location where the actual event took place (xref). Showrunners were even able to confer with several individuals involved in the 1969 ceremony. Much like the King today, this attention to detail rules!

#6: Emma Corrin’s Unscripted Musical Performance

After her engagement to Prince Charles, Diana celebrates with her friends with a night on the town. Emma Corrin, who played the princess in the fourth season, described how much fun it was to jam out to Stevie Nicks in fancy gowns at Annabel's, an exclusive high-end club in London's Mayfair. The actor revealed that toward the end, director and executive producer Ben Caron instructed the group to act drunk, an idea that terrified Corrin because "it can go so wrong so easily." So, they started singing the British National Anthem, and the director loved it so much that he decided to keep it in. Sure, why wouldn't you sing your future mother-in-law's praises while sloshed? Who wouldn't?

#5: Helena Bonham Carter Asked For Princess Margaret’s Approval

No, no, you heard that correctly. The actress dealt with a lot of anxiety going into the role and dove deep into research, even consulting with those who knew the late Princess (xref). The actress also needed convincing to take on the part, and who better to turn to than Princess Margaret herself. Carter shared that during a session with a medium, the late royal’s spirit just happened to drop by. Well, if you have the Princess Margaret in the room, it would almost be rude not to ask for her blessing, right? Apparently, she approved Carter taking the role and said she'd prefer her over the other actress being considered. Supposedly, she even left Carter with some acting advice.

#4: It Took Weeks to Recreate Princess Elizabeth’s Wedding Dress

Claire Foy’s Queen Elizabeth always looked fabulous in an array of outfits that were fit for a, well, queen. The Queen’s wedding dress is iconic, so as you might imagine, there was a lot of pressure to get it just right. According to costume designer Michele Clapton, a team of six spent several weeks just making and embellishing the train. Meanwhile, someone else spent three weeks on the bodice, and another group worked on adding the embroidery to the gown. Foy had numerous fittings since she’d recently given birth, and her body shape was constantly changing. For this reason, she wore a corset for most of the first season, which sounds uncomfortable but apparently helped with her posture (xref).

#3: The Love Triangle Game

Is there anything more uncomfortable than the lunch date between Lady Diana and Camilla Parker Bowles at the aptly named Ménage à Troi restaurant? To create a tense and awkward atmosphere, the director had Prince Charles actor Josh O’Connor sit between his love triangle co-stars while they ran through the scene. Corrin and Emerald Fennell were told that only one person could keep their hand on O’Connor but to remember that Camilla was there first. So, Fennell kept her hand on him the entire time as a reminder of Camilla’s constant presence in Prince Charles’ life. It might’ve made Corrin feel like the third wheel, but the vibe is so spot-on that the discomfort radiates through our screens.

#2: The Showrunners Offered Counseling for Aberfan Survivors

Season three’s “Aberfan” is one of the most heartwrenching episodes of “The Crown” so far. In it, we see tragedy strike the Welsh mining village, claiming the lives of 144 people, most of whom were children. Production attempted to approach the subject with the utmost sensitivity; however, this was understandably still an open wound for many. Producers invited some survivors to feature as extras in the episode, and they were later offered counseling after reliving the tragic event. Astoundingly, this was the first time in the 53 years since the Aberfan disaster that this service had reportedly ever been offered. The team took it upon themselves to ensure more assistance was provided for survivors and family members affected that day.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

It’s Not Filmed in Buckingham Palace
Researchers Were Sent on Palace Tours & Clearly They Did Homework Plus Extra Credit!

Ibble Dibble Is a Real and Very Confusing Drinking Game
Erin Doherty Shared That It Was as Fun but Bizarre as It Looks

Michael Fagan’s Costume’ Might’ve Been the Most Complicated to Nail in Season Four
Costume Designer Amy Roberts Wanted It to Reflect “What He Was about and What a Broken Britain Was About.”

Gillian Anderson Nearly Fell Out of a Land Rover During the Balmoral Episode
That Wouldn’t Have Necessarily Been Out of Character for Her Thatcher, but It Didn’t Make the Final Cut

We Could See a Cameo from Seasons 3 & 4 Royals in the Last Two Seasons
It Worked with Claire Foy & Peter Morgan Hasn’t Ruled Anything Out

#1: The Deleted Sex Scene

Season two of “The Crown” has arguably been the sexiest so far. Whether it’s Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip or Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, things got pretty steamy in the royal boudoirs. However, the latter pair were initially meant to appear in a full-on sex scene that would signify them finally getting together. According to Vanessa Kirby, who played Princess Margaret, there was a debate over how much royal nudity would be acceptable. While the showrunners seemingly enjoy toying with boundaries, they decided to play it safe on this occasion. Luckily, even without an explicit sex scene, Margaret and Tony’s firey passion is pretty hot. They say sex sells, but apparently, a royal romp is where we draw the line.