Season Four of the Crown features Princess Diana’s turbulent marriage to Prince Charles when it comes to Netflix this Sunday – here are some important episodes to watch before you go.
This season takes the popular series from the late 1970s to 1990s and through political and personal turmoil for both the Royals and the UK.
Diana’s loneliness and struggles with bulimia, royal affairs, assassinations and a divided nation lead the series into modern times.
There are, however, some important earlier episodes to watch while waiting for the new series to arrive on Sunday at 3am ET.
Imbroglio: Prince Charles and Camilla
Princess Diana, played by Emma Corrin, made her first appearance in The Crown right from the start of Season 4.
However, in order to fully understand the complicated relationship she is entering into with Prince Charles, fans should remember the future King’s feelings for his ex-girlfriend.
Imbroglio, Season 3, Episode 9, describes the efforts of the Queen Mother and Lord Louis Mountbatten to crush his feelings for the then Camilla Shand, now Duchess of Cornwall.
In season 4, she is Camilla Parker Bowles, who married her first husband Andrew and is still present in the life of the Prince.
Aging: Queen Elizabeth II and the Prime Minister
In the new season the focus is on Olivia Colman’s portrayal of the uneasy relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and the new Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, played by Gillian Anderson.
Prince Charles’ confession before the wedding day was “devastating” for Diana.
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They got off to a bad start when they first met at Buckingham Palace and during a visit by the Conservative Party politician to Balmoral, the Queen’s estate in Scotland.
Fans should take another look at the first episode of the third season to see how their predecessor, Labour politician Harold Wilson, got along in his first meeting with the monarch.
The two politicians are carved from different cloth, but both faced the same task of negotiating royal etiquette at their first meetings.
Margaretology and Cri de Coeur: The Wild Life of Princess Margaret
The wild life and failed marriage of Princess Margaret was the focus of Season 3, and the frank sister of the Queen returns in Season 4.
Episode 2 of last season, entitled Margaretology, shows how the Princess scores a surprise success on a tour of America while her love of alcohol and celebration impresses President Lyndon Johnson.
In Episode 10, her marriage goes into a tailspin, and her affection turns to a younger man than her husband Lord Snowdon.
Coup: Lord Louis “Dickie Mountbatten”
Lord Louis “Dickie” Mountbatten plays a role in the new season as a figure dear to the royal family, but also as a target for IRA terrorists.
Season 3, Episode 5, features Prince Philip’s uncle in a political role at the center of efforts to depose then Prime Minister Wilson.
