True or False: the fact-check of the final part of The Crown
No, the Queen Mother did not die the day William kissed Kate for the first time… But yes, she did parade in scantily clad fashion in front of him!
End of reign for The Crown. After six seasons dissecting Elizabeth II and her royal family from every angle, Peter Morgan concluded his Netflix drama with a final moving chapter. And like previous seasons, the ending is made up of historical truths and small arrangements with reality. Decryption.
Was Prince William really mobbed by girls during a royal visit to Canada?
Answer: Yes
By the late 1990s, Prince William had become something of a global idol, like a pop star. And in 1998, after the death of his mother, the heir to the throne accompanied his father Prince Charles and brother Prince Harry on a work vacation to Canada, where he was mobbed by screaming fans, just like in the show.
Did Kate Ever Meet Princess Diana?
Answer: No
Episode 8 focuses on Kate’s youth. She is seen Christmas shopping in central London in 1996. She comes across William who is accompanying her mother, Princess Diana, as she sells copies of a magazine to help the homeless, The Big Issue . Kate buys him a copy. The scene is, however, entirely fictional. According to William, Kate never met her mother. There is also no record of Diana helping to sell The Big Issue, although she said she bought it from time to time.
Did Porchey, Queen Elizabeth’s Friend, Have a Heart Attack on 9/11?
Answer: Yes
Henry Herbert, a close friend of the royal family, who nicknamed him Porchey after his birth title Lord Porchester, was Queen Elizabeth’s racing director, in charge of her beloved thoroughbred horses. He actually died of a heart attack on September 11, 2001, although it is not known if this is linked to the tragedy of the attacks, as is said in the series.
Did William date Lola Kincaid before Kate Middleton?
Answer: No
Did William have a girlfriend named Lola Airdale Cavenish Kincaid before Kate? What is true is that Kate was dating an aspiring lawyer named Rupert Finch, and William had a brief flirtation with a woman named Carly Massy-Burch the year before. She was studying English and creative writing, and the two met when the young boy auditioned for a play. They dated for a few months and according to a close friend, William was very in love with her…
Did Kate Middleton Really Catch Prince William’s Attention by Wearing a Sheer Dress?
Answer: Yes
This student parade, one night in 2002, really existed. Kate, usually shy, caused a sensation with this dress which showed off her underwear. Legend has it that William was in the audience and said to a friend, “Wow, Kate is hot.” In 2011, the dress, designed by fellow student Charlotte Todd, sold at auction for $125,000.
Did the Queen Mother die just as William and Kate kissed for the first time?
Answer: No
But not far! The fashion show took place on March 26, 2002. If The Crown suggests that William and Kate kissed that evening, this is not necessarily the truth. And his grandmother died four days later, on March 30, while William was on a ski vacation with his family in Switzerland.
Was William with the Middletons to watch Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee on TV?
Answer: No
In The Crown, the young duke says he had permission to miss the celebration but feels guilty and then jumps in his car to return to Buckingham Palace in time and make an appearance on the famous balcony with the rest of his family. Obviously, this would have been impossible in real life. London was not accessible to cars. And William was indeed of the Golden Jubilee as he was seen at the service at St Paul’s Cathedral, and at the luncheon and parade, well before the balcony.
Did Elizabeth leave Buckingham Palace to celebrate the end of World War II?
Answer: Yes
Episode 8 tells the story of how young princesses Elizabeth and Margaret escaped from the palace without their parents’ permission to dance in the street with the crowds on the day of Nazi Germany’s surrender. This actually happened – or at least, parts of it did. With their parents’ permission, Elizabeth and Margaret (accompanied by a group of 16) walked along Trafalgar Square to the Ritz, where Margaret remembers playing the conga. The night ended shortly after, when the group snuck back to the palace.
Did Queen Elizabeth really plan her own funeral?
Answer: Yes
The Sovereign, who died last year, had indeed been consulted on “all the arrangements” for her funeral, nicknamed “Operation London Bridge”, including the choice of music. His personal piper, who greeted Her Majesty with bagpipes outside her bedroom window each morning, closed the funeral service with the lament “Sleep, Dearie, Sleep.” And as the series shows, Prince Philip also planned his own funeral, modifying a Land Rover to transport his coffin instead of a traditional hearse.
