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The Crown Season 5 Plot Lines That Have Nothing to Do With the Reality

The Crown Season 5 Plot Lines That Have Nothing to Do With the Reality
Image credit: Netflix

The Crown has been a popular show on Netflix since it first aired in November 2016, and it's been no stranger to controversy.

The last seven years have seen many criticize its portrayal of events and criticize plot lines. The show certainly appeals to many, but just how much of what is shown is an accurate reflection of the truth? Let's see which aspects of season 5 didn't really happen.

In season 5 of The Crown , viewers are brought up to 1990s royal life, a time well-known for its turbulence among royals. Queen Elizabeth herself even referred to 1992 as her "annus horribilis," or "horrible year" as it translates from Latin, after fire ripped through Windsor Castle and three of her children's relationships broke down.

Here are some of the events portrayed in this season of The Crown that didn't happen, however.

Prince Charles didn't meet John Major to discuss the Queen's abdication

During the first episode of season 5 "Queen Victoria Syndrome", we see Prince Charles leaving his family vacation in Italy to meet with John Major, the UK Prime Minister at the time, to discuss the Queen's abdication. In the meeting with Major, Charles appears to ask for the PM's help to move this forward.

However, this discussion didn't actually take place at all. In fact, John Major told Sky News that no discussion ever took place.

The 'annus horribilis' speech was changed

The Crown season five shows the moment Queen Elizabeth stand to make a speech at London's Guildhall just four short days after the Windsor Castle fire. While this speech certainly did occur, it was actually changed for the Netflix show.

This goes to show that The Crown is exactly what Netflix claim it to be: a fictional drama based on real events.

The Crown also shows the Queen Mother discouraging Queen Elizabeth from using the 'annus horribilis' turn of phrase to describe 1992. It's unclear whether this happened or not.

Princess Diana didn't tell the Queen about her interview with Panorama

According to Patrick Jephson, Princess Diana's private secretary, Princess Diana didn't tell the Queen herself about her TV interview. It was Jephson who informed the Queen's press secretary, but only a few minutes before he was told about it by the BBC. Instead of informing the Queen herself, Princess Diana delegated the job to Jephson who made the phone call while sitting beside the princess during a journey to an official engagement.

Netflix and The Crown have always stated that the series is fiction based on reality and it seems to use its dramatic license to create interesting plots for its viewers. Now season five is upon us, many viewers are awaiting season 6 with bated breath. This final season will be what most viewers remember about royal history in recent decades and will include the death of Princess Diana. It will be interesting to see what unfolds then, that's for sure!