What You Need to Remember Before Starting Season 4 of "The Crown"
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The fourth season of The Crown premieres on Netflix on November 15, 2020.
Introducing Princess Diana and P.M. Margaret Thatcher, the season is set between 1979 and 1990.
Here's what you need to remember from last season, including where we stand on Prince Charles's (Josh O'Connor) love life.
Season 4 of The Crown might as well be called the Diana and Charles Show, given how much screen time is devoted to the royal couple. It's a change of pace for the Netflix series, which follows the reign of Queen Elizabeth II through the 1990s. Queen Elizabeth (played this season by Olivia Colman) is upstaged, at times, by the younger generation of royals.
Still, in order to keep up with the events of Prince Charles's (Josh O'Connor) eventful love life, it's helpful to know what happened in season 3 of The Crown. Introducing a new cast of actors, season 3 covers the span between 1964 and 1977, starting with Harold Wilson's term as Prime Minister and ending with Jubilee Day, a celebration commemorating Elizabeth's 25 years on the throne.
Following The Crown's typical structure, season 3 focuses on notable moments in the Windsor family's history, which often reveal the challenges of their positions as they're torn between duty and individual expression. Some of the most memorable episodes include the Queen's visit to the survivors of the Aberfan mining disaster, Prince Edward, the Duke of Windsor's final chapter, and the introduction of Prince Philip's memorable mother, Princess Alice of Greece.
While crucial to building character, many of these episodes are standalone, and don't necessarily introduce plot points that will be continued into season four—especially the relationships. With that in mind, these are the progressions you do need to remember ahead of season four's drama.
Prince Charles and Camilla aren't together—but they're not over, either.
Season 3 of The Crown introduces Camilla Shand (Emerald Fennell), the woman who would go on to become Prince Charles's second wife. Camilla and Charles have a relationship in season 3, but she marries her longtime boyfriend, Andrew Parker Bowles (who had previously dated Princess Anne), if you can keep up).
Camilla will be a lingering presence in season 4, as her friendship and romantic relationship with Charles persists even after he marries Diana. In 1994, Prince Charles publicly addressed his relationship with Camilla for the first time with biographer Jonathan Dimbleby, and admitted he had been unfaithful in his marriage to Diana after their relationship had "irretrievably broken down," per the New York Times.
Princess Anne got married.
The four Windsor children's lives are moving forward in The Crown. Princess Anne quietly gets married in season 3. In real life, Anne and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips, were married in 1973. They separated in 1989, per the L.A. Times, and divorced in 1992 after it was confirmed that Phillips fathered a child with another woman. That same year, Anne married Timothy Laurence; they're together to this day.
Margaret's marriage ended, and she struggled with her mental health.
Princess Margaret hive, rise up! Princess Margaret, played unforgettably by Helena Bonham Carter, has a tough third season. Her tumultuous marriage to Antony Armstrong-Jones, a.k.a. Lord Snowdon, comes to a close. Before her marriage officially dissolves, she embarks on an affair with Roddy Llewellyn. In real life, Margaret and Roddy were together for almost eight years.
In the devastating season finale, "Cri di Coeur," Margaret, in the throes of depression, attempts to take her own life by overdosing on pills. The palace has never confirmed if Princess Margaret ever attempted suicide, and the royal family denied the rumors at the time.
Margaret and Elizabeth have an emotional reunion in the finale, and talk about the state of Margaret's marriage. After discussing the inevitable fact that Margaret is going to become the first member of the royal family to get divorced since Henry VIII in the 16th century, Elizabeth experiences a moment of vulnerability that's all the more meaningful because it's so rare."Of all the people everywhere, you are the closest and most important to me," she tells Margaret. "If you wanted to let me imagine for one minute what life would be like without you, you've succeeded. It would be unbearable."
Lord Mountbatten, a.k.a Uncle Dickie, planned a coup.
In season 3, Lord Mountbatten (Charles Dickens) attempts to plan a coup to unseat Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Get used to Uncle Dickie meddling in characters' plans. Lord Mountbatten—full name: Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten—was Prince Philip's uncle, and well-connected to the royal family. He introduced Prince Philip and the future Queen Elizabeth II, and tried to find Prince Charles a match. In season 4, he will play a prominent role.
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