Imelda Staunton says playing the Queen ‘is terrifying’

King Edward VIII abdicates the throne for love  

Edward fell in love with Wallis Simpson, a married woman, and planned to marry her after his coronation when her divorce had come through.

However they were denied the opportunity to marry and due to divorce being forbidden for the Royals and decided to move to France together.

Edward later returned to England to face his family for the funeral of George VI following his death and went on to form a close bond with Prince Charles.

Princess Margaret is also denied her happy ending 

Princess Margaret, who is painted as the Royal rebel throughout the first and second seasons, hoped to step outside tradition and marry divorcee Peter Townsend.

However growing public chatter over the illicit relationship begins to overshadow Elizabeth’s post coronation fame.

Margaret makes her intentions to marry Peter clear to Queen Elizabeth II and she asks her to wait until she is 25 to tie the knot with her love.

However when her 25th birthday does roll around the Queen has to go back on her word due to pressure from the Crown, and tells Margaret that she cannot grant her permission to marry Peter.

Winston Churchill’s rise and fall

The first and second seasons depicted the Queen’s relationship with the Prime Minister of the time, Winston Churchill.

Following his successful leadership during the Second World War, Winston rises to power again for a second time during Elizabeth’s reign.

The Crown follows Winston’s journey as he adjusts to answering to a woman in power and his deteriorating health.

Royal marriage is rocked Elizabeth’s new role

The power struggle in the relationship is clear to see as Elizabeth’s role as the Queen takes priority over her marriage, while Prince Philip isn’t used to taking a backseat.

The Crown also hints at infidelity in their relationship as Elizabeth finds a picture of Russian ballerina Galina Ulanova among his possessions, before sending him off on a five-month tour on the Royal yacht.

The tension comes to a head during the premiere for season two when the Royal couple argue on board the HMY Britannia as they strive to find a resolution to their problems, due to divorce not being an option for a monarch.

Elizabeth’s journey to accepting the Crown 

The start of the series shows a more wary and shy Elizabeth, compared to the formidable monarch she has grown into.

One of the key moments in the first series is her journey to accepting the Crown, after having to reconfigure all of the relationships in her life.

The series shows the Queen growing in confidence as she finds herself on a path of self-discovery.

The Queen visits Aberfan 

Episode three of the third season focuses on the Aberfan disaster which killed 144 people, including 116 childrne, after a colliery spoil tip collapsed over a school in a Welsh village.

The Queen did not immediately visit the disaster site, citing that she did not want to distract away from the tragedy with her presence.

However after reflecting on her decision, she eventually visited alongside her husband and it is claimed her delayed response remains one of her greatest regrets.

 The Royal Family documentary 

In a bid to give the public a better understanding of the Royal family they let a camera crew into their lives for 18 months.

The Crown depicts the whole thing as a disaster with the family reportedly banning the programme from ever being aired again.

However in actuality, the documentary was well-received and had sky high viewing figures.

Prince Charles valuable time in Wales

After receiving backlash for the title ‘Prince of Wales’, despite not being a citizen or speaking the language, Prince Charles was sent to Aberystwyth University to learn the language.

Charles, who was 20 at the time, finished the trip with an elaborate investiture to pledge his allegiance to the Queen in Welsh.

However he asked to tweak the speech to add in his own voice, promising the Welsh residents that they wouldn’t be forgotten by England again.

Princess Margaret wows at the White House

After being sent on a Royal tour of the U.S. in place of her sister, Margaret was invited to dinner at the White House by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

The whole night appeared a huge success thanks to Margaret’s quick-wit and charm, with President Johnson seemingly lapping it up.

However across the pond Margaret’s success appeared to worry the Queen as she seemed concerned she was being outshone by her sibling.