Top 5 Need to Know Facts about Netflix's 'The Crown'

How familiar are you with the royal family and their history? You probably know all about the 2011 royal wedding, and have likely cooed over pictures of the adorable Prince George and Princess Charlotte. But to really appreciate the story of Queen Elizabeth II, you should really get to know her parents and the state of the royal family before her coronation. There’s plenty of material out there to brush up on your royal history, but a lot of it can be ... rather dry. We highly recommend the Academy Award winning 2010 film “The King’s Speech”, which provides insight into the public and personal lives of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. It works nicely as a prequel to the Netflix series, putting the royal family in context.

Just ask Helen Mirren… stepping into the shoes of the royal family on-screen is no small feat. Thankfully, Netflix and series creator Peter Morgan have put together an extremely talented cast to bring Queen Elizabeth and company to life. Matt Smith, arguably THE fan favorite modern Doctor from “Doctor Who”, has donned his most serious of faces, to deliver a nuanced performance as husband to the Monarch, Prince Philip. For Claire Foy, this isn’t her first time playing a Queen, having already shone as Anne Boleyn in the critically acclaimed BBC adaptation of “Wolf Hall”. John Lithgow, who’s earned numerous awards for his role on “Dexter”, is already creating tons of anticipation for his onscreen Churchill. Suffice to say… the Emmy buzz has already begun.

The marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton has rekindled the public’s love affair with the royal family, sparking interest the likes of which we haven’t seen since the days of Princess Diana. For younger generations, Elizabeth II is often seen simply as an aging queen, but thanks to “The Crown”, she’s getting a serious makeover. At the time of her ascension, at the age of 25 in 1952, she was a woman in a man’s world, and an unflinching one at that. She asserted her authority over male politicians twice her age, quickly earning the respect of such notable figures as Sir Winston Churchill. She balanced being a mother and wife with her role as a world leader. Oh, and she’s a trained auto mechanic.

This isn’t the first time the Queen’s life has been adapted into film, but with a long format series, that sort of detail would make anyone anxious, the royal family especially. After all, Netflix is advertising the series as “the inside story of… Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street – and the intrigues, love lives and machinations behind the great events that shaped the second half of the 20th century”. According to creator Peter Morgan, the royals are treated with respect, but the show doesn’t shy away from controversy or intimacy. For one of the most powerful families in the world, one can understand how their lack of involvement or oversight in the project might’ve been hard for them to accept.

Talk about planning ahead. Few showrunners dare to dream up this sort of a long-running project in an industry where cancellation is such a high risk. But with the second season in production even before the first is released, Netflix seems confident that this royal drama has legs. In fact, they’re banking on its success in a big way. The series reportedly cost £100 million to produce, which is roughly 123 million USD... and that’s just on the first season. Based on early reviews however, it’s already being heralded as a triumph. Peter Morgan has said that each 10-episode season will cover roughly one decade of the Queen’s reign, meaning that fans of “The Crown” have plenty to look forward to.

Do you agree with our list? How would you feel if you found out Netflix was making a biopic about your life? For more fairytale top 10s and topical top 5s, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.