Ranking All the Seasons of The Crown Based on Their Historical Accuracy

According to royal historian Hugo Vickers, season four of The Crown is the most rooted in creative license and paints “an unfair picture of most of the Royal family.” Set between 1979 and 1990, this season centers around Margaret Thatcher’s time in No. 10 and the beginning and unraveling of Prince Charles and Diana’s seemingly fairytale romance. Critics argue that the show plays fast and loose with historical details, particularly in depicting the duration of Charles’s alleged infidelity and overshadowing his royal accomplishments during this period. Reportedly, the immense backlash prompted the now King and Queen Consort to disable comments on their social media accounts.

Some also highlight inaccuracies in the portrayal of Thatcher’s premiership, like her visit to Balmoral, her decision to start a war when her son went AWOL, or asking the Queen to help when her own party rebelled against her. Despite their rumored strained relationship, there’s also doubt whether the Queen would have aired her issues with Thatcher in public.

Other fabricated storylines include the letter the Prince of Wales received from Lord Mountbatten shortly after his death and the timeline of events leading to the elder royal’s IRA-related demise. Also, the Bowes-Lyon sisters’ plot: Princess Margaret didn’t stumble upon the family secret; it was actually a press exposé, and the royals declined to comment. Although reportedly, it was around then that the Queen Mother first learned the whereabouts of her nieces. We also think it doesn’t take a historian to assume that the Queen didn’t have a tête-à-tête with a man who’d broken into her room.

Season two amplifies the drama by stirring the pot on Prince Philip’s alleged infidelity. The season begins with the royal embarking on an extended tour of the Commonwealth— that much is true. However, the cheating implications, whether with ballerina Galina Ulanova or anyone else, are pure speculation. To add an extra twist, Prince Philip’s story weaves through real events like his Private Secretary Michael Park’s divorce and the Profumo affair. While his involvement in either is likely included for dramatic flair, it further blurs the truth.

Episode nine unfolds another contentious tale where Philip sends Charles to his old school, supposedly to toughen him up. Charles’s school days look miserable, but surprisingly, the real royal recalls it differently—quoted saying, “I’m glad I went to Gordonstoun.” Flashbacks to Philip’s own school days paint a less-than-rosy picture, too. However, the biggest shocker occurs when he’s blamed for his sister’s family’s tragic accident— but that has been widely debunked. However, the real Prince Philip was reportedly “so upset” he considered filing a lawsuit.

We were also horrified to learn that the Marburg Files are real! Although, the Duke’s grasp on Nazism is hotly debated. According to Vickers, the Queen reproached her uncle for his attempted betrayal, but he wasn’t disowned or cast out.

Shifting gears, the Kennedys’ visit didn’t unfold quite as the series suggests either, particularly the monarch vs. First Lady rivalry. Reportedly, they shared a rather cordial relationship. While Jackie Kennedy may have commented on the Queen and Palace, it’s unlikely that her words were as savage as the show depicts. Additionally, the Ghana visit was more about maintaining Commonwealth allyship than anything related to the First Lady.

One last note on this season: there’s nothing to suggest that the Queen and Lord Altrincham ever met, although the monarchy apparently took note of several of his criticisms.

Season three of “The Crown” masters the art of intertwining history with fiction. Take the KGB spy saga in Buckingham Palace, for instance; yes, that part is real, but some details are skewed for entertainment purposes—do we really think that showdown with Prince Philip actually happened? Vickers also noted that they skipped over the consequences after his double-crossing was made public in 1979.

Turning our critical eye to other season three plot points, the Queen’s visit to Churchill in his final days, Prince Philip’s crisis after the moon landing, and his complex relationship with his mother should all be assessed with a pinch of salt. Unfortunately, that Guardian article isn’t real either, but much of Princess Alice’s extraordinary tale is.

Princess Margaret’s supposed diplomatic heroics might make for a juicy storyline, but it’s more fiction than reality. Her dinner at the White House didn’t result in any diplomatic miracles, and sorry to disappoint, but we don’t imagine there was any singing and dancing either. On the other hand, the recreation of Prince Charles’s investiture as the Prince of Wales is quite impressive.

During this season, we witnessed the tragic Aberfan disaster, and its devastating aftermath, and learned about the Queen's error in judgment in not promptly visiting the site and paying respects to the grieving village. This decision is considered one of the real monarch's greatest regrets.

At the heart of the season lies the blossoming romance between Prince Charles and Camilla Shand. Contrary to the on-screen drama, there’s no concrete proof that Charles sought advice from his great-uncle or that the family tried to sabotage their love story. Sure, the royals may have been skeptical about Camilla’s compatibility with a future king, but it seems, in reality, it just took a little longer for their stars to align. Princess Anne did supposedly have a “thing” with Andrew Parker Bowles, but it wasn’t during the timeline the series implies—although it’s amusing to think of the royal siblings caught up in some kind of love quadrilateral.

The first part of the season delves into Diana’s final days, her and Dodi Fayed’s tragic passing and the aftermath. Of course, many of us remember that fateful day and the subsequent events– So there’s only so much they can rework the truth before we all become history buffs. While the show incorporates real events like Diana's meeting with Tony Blair, the Queen's initial hostilities toward Camilla, and the public backlash after Diana's passing, many elements are fictionalized.
Prince Harry's recent disclosures might have shaped aspects of the story, but even the most knowledgeable Royal expert can't reveal what truly happens behind closed doors. Vickers added that the writers' interpretations of these real-life figures are also off the mark. Also, although we can’t confirm this, we doubt Diana spoke to anyone from the beyond either.

Part two swings the spotlight back onto the royal family, weaving a narrative that intertwines reflections of the past with a summary of events leading up to 2005. However, you can definitely tell where recent events helped shape the storyline.

We follow a coming-of-age Prince William, thrust into celeb-like status with “Wills-mania”— yes, he actually had screaming fangirls. We also see him attend the University of St Andrews, where he meets his future wife, Kate Middleton. This story arc blends truth, rumor (like Mrs. Middleton’s fervent matchmaking), and romanticized fiction. We also see the start of some fraternal competitiveness between Princes William and Harry and some of the younger Prince’s more erm, infamous antics.

Elsewhere, the narrative also explores Queen Elizabeth's challenges with dwindling public support ahead of her Golden Jubilee and her seemingly baseless thoughts of abdication. It also follows the rise and fall of, to borrow from her Majesty, “King Tony,” especially after his blunder at the Women’s Institute (which actually happened) and the Iraq invasion.

The Queen says goodbye to two cherished family members during this time, while a delightful flashback shows the young royal sisters celebrating VE Day incognito with the British people – a reported event immortalized in the movie” A Royal Night Out.”

Wrapping things up, we see Prince Charles and Camilla finally tying the knot, mixing fiction and reality. The Queen is said to have skipped the ceremony but supposedly spoke at the party. Though the throne would’ve been a great wedding gift, it’s doubtful she’d hand over the orb and scepter at that point.

For many of us, this season’s events are within living memory, yet we find ourselves disentangling reality from the show’s fiction. The Queen’s 1992 “Annus horribilis” speech, Diana’s “Panorama” interview, the release of Andrew Morton's revealing biography “Diana: Her True Story,” the royal divorce drama, and John Major's time as prime minister all take center stage. Unfortunately, tampon-gate is also revisited.

If you remember 1992, you might recall the Queen’s speech referencing a challenging year marked by the end of three royal marriages and a devastating fire at Windsor Castle. However, it didn’t include tributes to family members or mention “the errors of our past.” There’s also no evidence the Queen Mother objected to its content. But it is true that the monarchy expected taxpayers to foot the bill for some royal renovations.

It’s also worth noting that “The Crown” only presents a Cliffs Notes version of the infamous bombshell “Panorama” interview. While the Palace may have been informed beforehand, it’s unlikely that Diana told the Queen herself.

There’s evidence to support that Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend did reunite in their later years but the details of when and where that took place are a little fuzzier. According to some sources, this reunion would’ve made more sense in season four’s timeframe.

Also, while elements of the events shown in “Ipatiev House” are true, it was not Queen Mary who sealed the Romanovs’ fate.

Perhaps the most staggering storyline sees Prince Charles plot his mother’s abdication. In the first episode, we see him try to convince Prime Minister John Major to get on board, a storyline the real Major debunked as a “barrel-load of nonsense.” He tries again with new PM Tony Blair in the season finale, catching the real Blair’s ire, who dismissed it as “complete and utter rubbish.” This stirred a debate on whether the series owed viewers a reminder of its fictional nature. “The Crown” defended itself against accusations of leading its audience astray about the accuracy of its depictions.

Perhaps benefiting from the gift of distance, or maybe because it’s a well-documented period, but season one stands out as the most historically accurate. But, hold up, that doesn’t mean you should believe everything as gospel.

While the Great Smog of 1952 was real and caused significant loss of life, Londoners weren’t steered into a frenzy, and there are no records of Venetia Scott or anyone like her steering the Prime Minister into action. Also, Prince Philip trying to ditch the tradition of kneeling at the coronation is highly unlikely, considering his royal roots and, you know, basic respect.

Also, the Queen’s supposed fling with Lord “Porchey” Porchester, let’s just say the series might have spiced things up a bit.

However, in the season’s epic love story, Princess Margaret falls for Group Captain Peter Townsend, and their path to happiness is far from smooth. Despite the narrative that Queen Elizabeth breaks their hearts, it’s not that simple. Prime Minister Eden once wrote, “Her Majesty would not wish to stand in the way of her sister’s happiness.” Being divorced himself, he had no intention of raining on their parade either. In reality, he and the Queen devised a plan for Margaret’s happiness, preserving her titles and royal perks—although she still would have had to relinquish her and her kids’ claim to the throne. Townsend’s autobiography reveals that in the battle between love and royal privileges, the latter took precedence, stating, “I simply hadn’t the weight, I knew it, to counterbalance all she would have lost.”

Which “The Crown” storyline were you most surprised they included or left out? Let us know in the comments.