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The Crown Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
10 Episodes 2016 - 2016
Episode 1
Wolferton Splash
Fri, Nov 4, 201656 mins
In 1947 Prince Philip of Greece renounces his foreign titles to marry Princess Elizabeth, elder daughter of George VI. Her mother and Grandmother are less than complimentary about his family whilst the appearance of Shadow leader Winston Churchill at the lavish wedding sets his rivals whispering that it is a show of politics. Following a general election Churchill is prime minister once more - to the delight of the king, who confides in him that he has lung cancer, but urges him to keep it a secret and Christmas passes without the family being informed. However George asks Elizabeth to represent him on an upcoming Commonwealth tour, whilst Elizabeth is asked to keep another secret by her sister Margaret, who is in love with commoner Peter Townsend.
Episode 2
Hyde Park Corner
Fri, Nov 4, 201661 mins
The early life of Elizabeth II at the point of her marriage in late 1947 during King George VI reign. Through the point in English history when Winston Churchill was elected for a second time as Prime Minister in 1951. The young Elizabeth Begins to understand and learn the responsibilities of the crown. The series explores the relationship of marriage and British leadership beginning with episode 1.
Episode 3
Windsor
Fri, Nov 4, 201659 mins
George's funeral takes place with the arrival of his brother, Edward, Duke of Windsor, evoking Elizabeth's memory of the abdication. Her mother and especially grandmother, Queen Mary, are angered by his sarcastic presence and Mary has no compunction in telling him, though Elizabeth is prepared to be conciliatory - to a point. She is also grateful to Churchill for his guidance in her new situation, but annoys Philip when she refuses to let the royal house change its name from Windsor to Mountbatten. Unaware of his sister-in-law's involvement with a commoner on the brink of divorce, Philip asks Townsend to give him flying lessons.
Episode 4
Act of God
Fri, Nov 4, 201657 mins
In December 1952 the country is in the grip of a deadly smog, which causes thousands of deaths, including that of Churchill's secretary Venetia Scott. Elizabeth confronts Churchill with the fact that the smog has been caused by chimney smoke from Conservative-built power stations, and his detractors seize upon this, calling for his resignation. However, he rises to the occasion with hospital visits and the promise of a public enquiry, leading to the Clean Air Act, and Elizabeth decides against his dismissal. Afterwards, Queen Mary tells her that it is not in the monarch's remit to engage in politics.
Episode 5
Smoke and Mirrors
Fri, Nov 4, 201655 mins
In 1953, Elizabeth recalls her father's words to her, prior to his own coronation, as she prepares for her own. Edward turns up for the occasion, but declines to attend when his wife is refused admission. After Mary dies and her funeral is in the traditional old style, Philip, feeling side-lined by his wife, decides to organize a down-sized coronation, more acceptable to a country still hit by rationing, and broadcast it live on television. The Establishment is shocked, but the occasion is a success.
Episode 6
Gelignite
Fri, Nov 4, 201658 mins
Whilst Philip is concerned about Nasser's overthrow of King Farouk in Egypt, the affair between Margaret and Townsend has not escaped the attention of certain newspapers who go to press with it. Margaret asks her sister to sanction their marriage and, despite Philip's disapproval, Elizabeth promises to help. However, Lascelles and the queen mother point out that by law Margaret must wait a further two years until she is twenty-five. Consequently Townsend is posted to Brussels whilst Margaret is on a royal tour of Rhodesia and the romance is curtailed, the press being generally sympathetic to the lovers and perceiving the monarchy as being cruel.
Episode 7
Scientia Potentia Est
Fri, Nov 4, 201658 mins
Elizabeth feels that her education makes her inadequate to converse with clever statesmen so she enlists the aid of private tutor Professor Hogg. Following the Russians exploding the H-bomb Foreign Secretary Eden is sent to America to see President Eisenhower but he is not a well man and the talks do not go ahead whilst back home Churchill also suffers a stroke but keeps it from the queen, to stay in office. Learning the truth she is angry and rebukes him as well as standing up to the out-going Lascelles over the choice of his successor, having learnt self-confidence, rather than facts from her tutor.
Episode 8
Pride & Joy
Fri, Nov 4, 201658 mins
The queen and Philip embark on a six month Commonwealth tour which he dismisses as an absurd pantomime given that many of the countries desire independence, later accusing her of trying to live up to her father's image and persisting in his view that the itinerary is exhausting her. In her absence Margaret takes on many public appearances in the hopes that it will take her mind off Townsend but they still keep in touch. Furthermore she writes her own speeches, revelling in the publicity and hoping it will win popular support for herself and her lover. Churchill is disapproving and Elizabeth rebukes her on her return, accusing her of showing individuality, anathema to a royal's public image. Meanwhile the queen mother, dismayed at having to withdraw from the spotlight, buys the Castle of Mey in Scotland.
Episode 9
Assassins
Fri, Nov 4, 201660 mins
As Philip goes his own way, drinking with his friends Elizabeth turns to her love of horse racing, spending time at her stables with trainer Lord Porchester - Porchey. Philip is not interested and suggests that Porchey is more than a friend but Elizabeth refutes this, telling Philip he is the only man she ever loved. Churchill's eightieth birthday is cause for a public celebration and for his portrait to be painted by artist Graham Sutherland, but he rejects the finished product for portraying him as a vulnerable old man and his wife burns it. After consultation with the queen he also steps down as prime minister, giving way to Anthony Eden.
Episode 10
Gloriana
Fri, Nov 4, 201654 mins
In 1936, following his brother's abdication, the King tells his daughters always to put the country above personal interests and nineteen years later this comes back to haunt Elizabeth as, although Margaret is now twenty-five, Parliament finds new objections to her marrying Townsend, chiefly because he is a divorcee, and the Queen is put in the terrible position of having to break her promise to her sister and forbid the marriage. Margaret hates her but a phone conversation is made with surprisingly sympathetic Duke of Windsor. Another problem is Philip's continued view that he is always in his wife's shadow as he goes off to open the Melbourne Olympics - and in Egypt the Suez crisis looms.
