About This Quiz
Glamour. Fame. Privilege. These might be some of the words that immediately come to mind when someone thinks of Queen Elizabeth and the rest of the British royal family. While the Royals are fascinating, they become even more intriguing and complex once you have the chance to dive in and learn more about them. "The Crown" is an excellent vehicle with which to learn about events within the royal family that many people have not heard of before.
"The Crown" showcases in great detail the reign of Queen Elizabeth, along with the circumstances and challenges she faced as she learned how to lead the United Kingdom. The Netflix series also delves into how a changing country, society, and expectations impacted the lives of those within the royal family and in the British government.
The first few seasons showcase the early years of Queen Elizabeth's reign, but how much of the show's details do you really remember? Give yourself a challenge and see how well you know "The Crown" and its storyline. There are so many details, events and people to remember, but we know you're up for the task! If all goes well, your score here could be one of your crowning achievements.
President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jackie, are invited to a dinner at Buckingham Palace in the second season of "The Crown." The episode follows Elizabeth's connection with the first lady during their meeting and after president's assassination in 1963.
The Great Smog of 1952, which lasted for four days in December 1952, was brought on by cold weather conditions combined with pollutants that caused a layer of smog to settle over London. It's estimated that 4,000 people died due to the effects of the smog. The event prompted British Parliament to pass the Clean Air Act of 1956.
Queen Elizabeth was coronated on June 2, 1953 in Westminster Abbey. Her coronation was particularly special, as it was the very first to be televised. Within the United Kingdom alone, over 27 million people watched Elizabeth's coronation.
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John Lithgow won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Churchill in season one of "The Crown." He was also the only American cast member in "The Crown" ensemble.
King George VI had one of his lungs removed in 1951 when doctors discovered cancer within the lungs. His surgery was kept a secret from the public and was performed in Buckingham Palace.
Philip was keen on learning how to fly, and Margaret's boyfriend, Peter Townsend, was one of his flying teachers. By the time Philip turned 70 years old, he had over 5,000 pilot hours.
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In the second season, a collection of World War II documents are unearthed. The documents, called the Marburg Files, reveal Edward's ties to the Nazis. Edward's private secretary reveals to Elizabeth that Edward's wife was suspected of being a German spy and that the couple met with Adolf Hitler in Germany.
While Queen Elizabeth had originally promised Margaret that she could marry Townsend once she turned 25, both the British Parliament and The Church of England would not allow the princess to marry Townsend because he was divorced. Due to this, Elizabeth bans their marriage.
Princess Elizabeth married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten on Nov. 20, 1947 in London's Westminster Abbey. The wedding was broadcast by radio to over 200 million people worldwide.
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10 Downing Street, located in the Westminster area of London, is the home of the British government and the residence of the prime minister. Many scenes involving government proceedings on "The Crown" are filmed within a recreated Downing Street set.
Queen Elizabeth's uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated the royal throne in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, an American woman who had been divorced twice. Many politicians and those within the Church of England did not see Simpson as a suitable queen, which spurred Edward's decision to abdicate.
Matt Smith, who you might also recognize as the 11th Doctor in "Doctor Who," played the Duke of Edinburgh in Seasons One and Two of "The Crown." His portrayal of Philip earned him an Emmy nomination in 2018.
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After Philip and Elizabeth married in November 1947, the royal couple moved to Malta. While they were in Malta, Philip continued to serve in the British Royal Navy for the next four years.
In July 2018, Netflix released a first look on Twitter of Elizabeth Coleman as Queen Elizabeth. Coleman will be replacing Claire Foy, who played a younger Elizabeth in the first two seasons.
Winston Churchill was the first prime minister to serve under Queen Elizabeth. ln fact, Churchill was prime minister twice! His first term was from 1940-1945, and his second term was from 1951-1955, when Elizabeth became queen.
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Vanessa Kirby portrayed a young Princess Margaret in the first two seasons of "The Crown." She was also up for an Emmy in 2018 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
Princess Margaret's husband, Antony Armstrong-Jones, was a photographer. Many of his pictures included portraits of royals, including Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh. Armstrong-Jones was also known for his portraits of popular celebrities.
Princess Elizabeth and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, were then on a trip of Commonwealth countries when King George VI died on Feb. 6, 1952. The couple was in Kenya at the time of his death.
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Season Two of "The Crown" focuses on Princess Margaret's relationships after breaking things off with Peter Townsend. More specifically, "The Crown" highlights her relationship and eventual marriage to Antony Armstrong-Jones.
Prince Philip had four sisters, and three of them married members of the Nazi Party. However, Philip fought against the Axis Powers in World War II and declared his loyalty to Great Britain.
Billy Graham, at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth, came to deliver a private sermon at Windsor Castle to the royal family in 1956. A scene in "The Crown" also features a conversation between Graham and Elizabeth about Christianity.
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Winston Churchill resigned from his duties as Prime Minister in 1955 due to his age and declining health. After his resignation, Anthony Eden became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Elizabeth and her family lived in Clarence House before the death of her father. A few months after King George VI's death, they officially moved into Buckingham Palace on May 5, 1952.
Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth's younger sister, asks Elizabeth for her blessing to marry Peter Townsend. Later, Townsend and Margaret become an object of fascination in the eyes of the public and the press.
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Queen Elizabeth wanted the royal line's name to include her family's name, but the name of her husband's as well. When this request was denied by the British Cabinet, the royal line kept the name Windsor.
The Suez Crisis takes center stage in the first few episodes of Season Two. Prime Minister Anthony Eden proposes that British forces respond with force regarding the Egyptian revolt in the Suez Canal, which Elizabeth agrees to support.
Philip was insistent that Charles would attend his alma mater in Scotland, Gordonstoun School. Later in life, Prince Charles despised his experience at the school, calling it "Colditz in kilts." Colditz was a German POW camp in WWII.
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When King George was found dead in Sandringham House in February 1952, Elizabeth became queen. Her father's death was quite unexpected, as was her early ascent to the throne. She was 25 years old at the time.
Michele Clapton, the show's costume designer, revealed that Elizabeth's wedding dress was the most challenging piece to recreate due to the amount of time and labor that went into it. In Clapton's mind, "If we didn't get that [wedding dress] right, then we don't actually have the right to make anything else up."
The painting was produced in celebration of Churchill's 80th birthday. Churchill disapproved of the painting, and his wife, Clementine Churchill, later destroyed it by burning it in a bonfire.
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Galina Ulanova was a Russian ballet dancer who was considered to be one of the best ballerinas at the time. Elizabeth found a photo of Ulanova in Philip's briefcase and suspected him of having an affair.
Claire Foy, who played Queen Elizabeth, made a point to emphasize how much the corgis on "The Crown" love cheddar. In an interview, she said that, "These corgis are cheesed up to the max--they're eating like a whole block of cheddar every day."
British actress Claire Foy portrays Queen Elizabeth II during her early reign of Britain. She was offered the role in 2014, and played the queen for the first two seasons of the show.
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The glamour of "The Crown" didn't come without a hefty price tag. Netflix reportedly spent $130 million producing the first season of the show, making it one of the most expensive TV shows in history.
The 2013 play "The Audience" highlights the weekly conversations Queen Elizabeth has had with the prime ministers throughout her reign. Peter Morgan wrote "The Audience" and is the creator and one of the main writers of "The Crown."