As usual, "The Crown" is a mixed bag as a history lesson. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the instances where Netflix's semi-historical royal narrative adhered to factual accuracy and moments when they embraced artistic freedom.
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00:00 "What do we do now?"
00:02 "Dive in, I suppose."
00:04 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the instances where Netflix's
00:09 semi-historical royal narrative adhered to factual accuracy, and moments when they embraced
00:14 artistic freedom.
00:15 As always, if you're not caught up, beware of spoilers ahead.
00:19 "It just felt like doing something drastic.
00:22 To know, one way or another."
00:27 10. The Home Secretary Customarily Witnessed Future Monarchs' Births
00:31 Right. Typically, when we talk about old-timey births, dads usually weren't even in the room
00:37 when moms were in labor. Fun fact, apparently Prince Philip was playing squash when he first
00:41 became a father. But hey, the royals aren't your average family.
00:45 "In earlier times, many people had to bear witness for fear of a royal fake."
00:50 "It was the real child, a representative group of the Privy Council, latterly only the Home
00:55 Secretary, had to be there to watch."
00:58 In the episode "Raritania," the Queen tells the Prime Minister about an astounding old
01:02 royal custom that involved a rather unexpected birthing partner, or partners.
01:06 "Believe it or not, for my first child, it was still custom to summon the Home Secretary
01:12 to witness a royal birth."
01:14 Reportedly, this centuries-old tradition was established to avoid any arguments or doubts
01:18 about the legitimacy of the future monarch. As the Queen also informs us, her father put
01:23 an end to this, quote, "archaic custom" when she was expecting her first child, Prince,
01:29 now King, Charles.
01:30 "My father put a stop to it with my consent. So I'm not against reform. The question is
01:36 what is worth preserving and where to draw the line."
01:40 Number 9. Prince William and Harry's relationship has long been fraught. Wrong.
01:45 Prince Harry hasn't shied away from talking about the rift with his brother.
01:48 "He was shouting at me, I was shouting back at him. It wasn't nice, it wasn't pleasant
01:53 at all. And he snapped. And he pushed me to the floor."
01:56 While some believe it began when Meghan Markle entered the picture, the prince has suggested
02:01 it started several years earlier. He even recalled their Eton days when his big bro
02:05 apparently told him, quote, "pretend we don't know each other," relatable to many younger
02:10 siblings for sure. Anyway, the crown seems to have drawn on several of these revelations
02:15 and reworked them to fit the final season's timeframe.
02:18 "I'd enjoy the freedom sometimes of not having to be the sensible one, the reliable one,
02:23 and welcome the opportunity to be the likable rogue."
02:26 "No chance of that."
02:27 "Why's that?"
02:28 "To be a likable rogue, you first need to be likable."
02:29 However, they do somewhat address Harry's claims about that ill-thought costume. We
02:34 also can't be sure about Prince William's tense relationship with his father, but apparently
02:38 they were no strangers to fiery exchanges.
02:40 "She should have been safe with us and the fact that she wasn't is your fault. And no,
02:48 you didn't actually drive the car, but you drove it into the arms of those that did."
02:51 Number 8. Willsmania
02:53 Right. Every generation has their teen heartthrob, and for many, in the late 90s, that heartthrob
02:59 was none other than a teenage Prince William. The crown vividly reenacts the frenzy that
03:04 surrounded him wherever he went. Imagine seeing your celeb crush! Now multiply that excitement
03:09 by a million and you'll get a sense of what Willsmania was like.
03:13 "Not an only Prince charming." "I loved him and he said hi and then he shook
03:19 my hand." "He shook his hand!"
03:20 In the episode, the prince is vacationing in Canada and are practically swarmed by young
03:25 ladies, eagerly waiting to catch even the briefest glimpse of the young royal. Believe
03:29 it or not, this is pretty spot on.
03:31 "The city of Vancouver is in the grip of Williammania. And if the inhabitants here are anything to
03:36 go by, this won't be the last city to go wild over the world's latest teenage heartthrob."
03:42 Understandably, the prince was taken aback by the sudden burst of limelight.
03:46 "He assured me they'd be shutting the place down to keep the girls out."
03:50 "Marry me, William! Marry me!" However, reports suggest he remained warm and
03:57 gracious, generally sharing his time with the adoring crowd.
04:02 Number 7. Operation Paget - Mostly Right
04:05 The penultimate episode dives into some of the conspiracy theories surrounding Diana's
04:09 tragic accident, specifically those fueled by Mohamed Al-Fayed, which resulted in a criminal
04:14 investigation. He alleged that his son and Diana were engaged and expecting, and accused
04:20 the royal family of plotting the fatal incident.
04:22 "One hour before, in the Red City, they're enjoying, having a great fun dinner and say,
04:28 'Daddy, on Monday we're declaring our engagement. I'm going home now, having a bottle of champagne,
04:33 I'm gonna give her the ring, I bought the ring.'"
04:36 Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, stoked these claims by sharing a letter she supposedly
04:40 wrote years earlier, expressing fears of a planned car accident.
04:43 "Are you aware of a letter written by the princess, and discovered by her butler, Paul
04:48 Burrell, in which she wrote of her suspicions that you were plotting a deliberate brake
04:54 failure in her vehicle?"
04:56 We also see how the princes were involved in proceedings. But unlike The Crown suggests,
05:01 public sentiment remained largely skeptical. Also, nothing was publicly disclosed until
05:06 2006, and the investigation concluded in 2008. Mr. Al-Fayed's claims were essentially found
05:12 to be baseless.
05:13 "This was a series of unfortunate incidents, leading to a tragic accident in a tunnel,
05:21 and it is the recommendation of this inquiry that the princess should finally be allowed
05:27 to rest in peace."
05:30 Number 6. The Queen was irked by Tony Blair's widespread approval. Right, kind of.
05:36 Rumor has it that the Queen once confessed that Tony Blair was her least favorite prime
05:40 minister.
05:41 "He didn't change and wasn't going to change on her watch. And that came from the toughness
05:46 to be able to say, 'I'm going to compromise on this, but I'm not compromising on that.'"
05:53 He represented a modern age that clashed with the royal's stronghold on tradition. Apparently,
05:58 she didn't love his informality or reluctance to bow, pun intended, to custom. Did this
06:03 spark nightmares of a King Tony coronation?
06:06 "But after almost 50 years on the throne, it's out with Queen Elizabeth and in with
06:14 King Tony."
06:15 Who knows, but she acknowledged his strengths, seemingly leveraging them for the monarchy's
06:20 well-being. After Diana's death, Blair's popularity soared.
06:23 "What would you do to turn things around for us, if you were in charge?"
06:32 "If I were in charge of the monarchy?"
06:36 "If you were in my shoes."
06:39 Meanwhile, we see the Queen initiate focus groups to gauge public opinion on the royals.
06:44 Groups were indeed held, but her involvement is unclear. Blair's era starts to crumble
06:49 as he misreads the room at a Women's Institute event. Yes, the crowd's reactions? Pretty
06:54 spot on.
06:55 "Blair was treated to slow hand claps from the assembled W.I. ladies, who weren't falling
07:00 for the Prime Minister's charm."
07:02 Number 5. Carol Middleton played matchmaker for her daughter and Prince William. We don't
07:07 know. In episode 7, we see a meet-cute between teenage William and Kate Middleton over a
07:12 copy of the Big Issue magazine.
07:14 "What's your name?"
07:15 "Catherine."
07:16 "Kate's fine."
07:17 "So thank you, sweetheart."
07:24 Did it really happen? Well, the now-Princess of Wales has mentioned she never met her mother-in-law,
07:29 so probably not. Later, Kate compares her mom to Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice
07:34 for incessantly nudging her toward the future king. Though both took similar paths to St.
07:39 Andrew's, and yes, Kate initially planned to attend university in Edinburgh, there's
07:43 no solid evidence of any intentional moves to meet the prince.
07:47 "Was it a coincidence you encouraged me to sign up to the art course in Florence, where
07:51 William was expected to go? And then to the expedition in Chile as well, where he went."
07:56 Rather, the media spun Mrs. Middleton as the determined mom, scheming to unite her daughter
08:02 with the prince based on her own history of social climbing. Plus, would Prince William
08:06 actually snub the Golden Jubilee for the Middletons?
08:08 "I know she gave me a pass to miss it all, but I can't help feeling that I should be
08:17 with her."
08:18 Doubtful.
08:20 Number 4. Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret snuck out to join VE Day celebrations.
08:25 Right. Believe it or not, this really happened, and it sounds wild.
08:29 "Well, for some reason we decided to go in the front door of the Ritz and do the conga."
08:36 [Humming]
08:40 Yet the episode carries bitter-sweet tones as we revisit the event in flashbacks during
08:45 Princess Margaret's final days. After a series of strokes, the first of which happened at
08:49 her mystique vacation home (sadly also true), the princess opts to celebrate her 70th birthday
08:55 at a venue that holds a cherished memory.
08:57 "When a very different side of the young Princess Elizabeth was revealed."
09:05 The then-teenaged princesses and their entourage of about 16 people snuck out of the palace
09:10 to celebrate the end of the Second World War with the British public at the Ritz, an event
09:14 loosely depicted in the 2015 film A Royal Night Out. Even decades later, the Queen recalls
09:20 it as, quote, "one of the most memorable nights of my life."
09:23 "Come on, Portie. Let's get her out of here." "No, don't! Leave her. Look how happy she is."
09:33 "Cheers, Camilla!"
09:35 Number 3. The royal family initially opposed Prince Charles and Camilla's marriage. Right
09:40 and wrong. The prince's relationship with Camilla faces yet another hurdle in securing
09:45 his family's approval when he decides to pop the question. There's a sense that the writers
09:49 tapped into Prince Harry's recent revelations while imagining how the princes might have
09:53 felt about the proposal.
09:54 "We didn't think it was necessary. We thought that it was gonna cause more harm than good,
10:02 and that if he was now with his person, that surely that's enough."
10:08 The Queen also grapples with conflicting feelings about the impending union. In reality, she
10:12 wasn't always Camilla's biggest fan, reportedly once labeling her, quote, "that wicked woman."
10:19 Perhaps she hadn't forgotten Camilla's role in the breakdown of her son's marriage.
10:23 "Many people in this country still believe that the relationship between the Prince of
10:27 Wales and Mrs. Parker Bowles was responsible for the breakdown of a royal marriage."
10:34 However, her absence from the actual wedding wasn't fueled by personal sentiments, but
10:39 rather by the Church of England's firm stance against divorce, a position she had to uphold
10:44 as its head.
10:45 Number 2. Prince William falls for the art of seduction. Right and wrong. In the series'
10:50 penultimate episode, Prince William and Kate's love story takes a riveting turn at a charity
10:55 catwalk. It's true. The now-princess really did strut her stuff in a dress that's almost
11:00 a spot-on replica of the one we see on The Crown.
11:03 "Supposedly it was a skirt, and she kind of pulled it up last minute to make a bit more
11:08 of a statement. That just says a lot about Kate in terms of going after what she wants."
11:14 Observers noted that she had turned the prince's head that night and sparked his hopes of something
11:18 more. However, some sources suggest both were still in other relationships at the time.
11:23 "And I'd started to worry that we drifted into the dreaded friend zone."
11:27 "Oh no, I'd hate that."
11:29 "So would I."
11:31 "I've always been interested."
11:34 The pair had become close friends and even lived in a shared house on Hope Street. However,
11:39 romance was still several months away. As for the dress, it apparently snatched up $125,000
11:46 at an auction in 2011.
11:48 Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
11:52 News of the Queen Mother's passing put a pause on Prince William and Kate Middleton's first
11:56 kiss. Wrong. Reports suggest that he was on a skiing vacation with his father and brother
12:01 when they received the news.
12:02 "I'm afraid this can't wait, sir. Operation Tablage."
12:06 "I'm really sorry."
12:13 The Queen planned her own funeral. Right. Plans have been in place for decades and have
12:18 evolved with time. But yes, the Queen was consulted on the details.
12:22 "Oh yes, a little heavy at the moment, ma'am, but it will shrink down nicely as you begin
12:26 to express your preferences."
12:27 "My preference would be a quiet service in Scotland, out of sight in over 20 minutes."
12:33 Prince Harry's questionable costume choice and stay in a rehabilitation center. Right.
12:38 If you remember the early 2000s, you probably don't need us to remind you these events are
12:42 true.
12:43 "He was so symbolistic. Said I could have got myself expelled. Now he wants me to go
12:48 to a treatment center to spend the day with some addicts."
12:52 Queen Elizabeth's friend Porchy died of a heart attack on 9/11. Right and wrong. The
12:57 date is correct, but there's no concrete proof of any correlation between the two events.
13:02 "And such terrible news about Lord Carnarvon too."
13:05 "Porchy? Why? What's happened?"
13:12 "He collapsed while he was watching the news."
13:15 Prince William considered quitting university. Right. Apparently, he struggled to settle
13:20 in and found the area boring.
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13:48 Number 1. The Queen planned to announce her abdication at Prince Charles and Camilla's
13:52 wedding. Wrong. We imagine wearing the crown can feel quite weighty, literally and figuratively,
13:59 but there's no evidence to suggest the Queen was ever ready to give that up.
14:02 "Your first loyalty has always been to the crown. Sometimes at the expense of being a
14:09 queen, stepping down is the right thing to do."
14:13 Still, in the season finale, we see the monarch grapple over whether it's time to pass it
14:18 along to her son and let him have his turn on the throne. In fact, she considers announcing
14:22 her abdication at Charles and Camilla's wedding. As we said, there's nothing to support this
14:27 story, but it did offer a poignant reflection on her reign, assisted by the former versions
14:32 of herself.
14:33 "You seem to thrive in it. And more importantly, it seems to thrive under you. So shouldn't
14:43 you stay for every single day that you can?"
14:47 At most, it was a nice way to honor Queen Elizabeth II's legacy and bid farewell to
14:51 the audience.
14:52 "Nice speech, Granny."
14:53 "Thank you."
14:54 "It was surprisingly short. Are you sure you didn't forget half of it?"
15:00 "I don't know what you're talking about."
15:03 Which plot point were you most shocked to find out is true? Is there anything you're
15:06 surprised they left out? Let us know in the comments.
15:09 "The system makes no sense anymore to those outside it, nor to those of us inside it."
15:15 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo. And be sure
15:20 to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
15:24 "I'm not going to let you go."
15:25 "I'm not going to let you go."
15:26 "I'm not going to let you go."
15:27 "I'm not going to let you go."
15:28 "I'm not going to let you go."
15:29 "I'm not going to let you go."
15:29 "I'm not going to let you go."
15:30 "I'm not going to let you go."
15:31 "I'm not going to let you go."
15:31 [BLANK_AUDIO]