I am currently watching it.......only because I've depleted most other Netflix sources that offer a similar context :-) I am not wild about it to be honest. It is very slow, not much action and comes across more of a fictionalized documentary rather than a TV series. And I really dislike Prince Phillip's character - he is juvenile, petulant and whiny and seems entirely unable to deal with the restrictions of the monarchy, even though he should be very familiar with it - he came from a royal family as well and married Elizabeth before she became Queen but knowing full well that would be the eventual outcome. I have no idea how closely this matches his real life personality, if at all, but he is not a sympathetic figure in the series. I kinda want to slap him :-))

You make a good point. Philip knew full well what he was getting into! But I could feel empathy in that he was forced to give up his name, forced to move into the impersonal, cold palace from the home he had decorated, and was discouraged from flying. Oh, and also, he had given up his "career."

woodnymph/Mary we don't subscribe to Netflix so haven't seen 'The Crown'. There have been mixed reviews of it over here. Most say the acting is good also the 'sets' but that many so-called facts are inaccurate; stuff about the Duke of Windsor for eg.

The writer also claimed that the Queen was a woman of below average intelligence which seems both rude and quite wrong.

It is always a problem that people will think these shows/movies are 'true' and reflect real 'history'.

As for Prince Philip although he came from the 'Royal Family' he hadn't led a royal life-style. His father had deserted the family, his mother had psychological problems and his much older sisters were long married and away. He spent school holidays being shunted among friends and the camaraderie of the Royal Navy must have provided him with much-needed security; even during war time. For an active young man the new way of life in the stultifying surroundings of the Court, with no real purpose must have been hard to tolerate. Of course he has gone on to make his mark in many ways with his DoE Award Scheme, interest in industry, the Commonwealth and much else. His Quarter Deck manner must have shaken up the dust at Buck House/Windsor etc.

The London Smogs of the early '50's (and for years before) must have been terrible. MY DH can remember them and how everything became dirty yellow, traffic was brought to a standstill, even trains were cancelled. Luckily I grew up in the countryside well away from urban pollution.

I remember London air being very dirty in the early 50s. I used to go to the West End theatres and my face was quite grubby when I returned to my seaside resort home.

There are a number of references in 19th Century literature, including Emma, about various areas of London known for their clean air and the trips made by families to the fresh seaside air.

The Crown isn't on Free to Air so I have never seen it.

Vee, I do not get Netflix, either. Our wonderful public (city) library can get for me any series I want to watch, at no charge.

As for the Queen being below average in intelligence, of course that is not true. I came away instead with her thoughts (as expressed in the series) that her formal education had been inadequate to prepare her for the ultimate role of ruler of a vast dominion.

I am very much enthralled with the detail of the costumes, sets, and music, not to mention the fine acting. The actress who plays the Queen also had the role of Ann Boleyn in another series, ironically enough.

It IS a TV show and as such I was prepared to be entertained.......not bored :-)) To be honest, I haven't bothered to go back to it since I wrote that comment. It is just kind of dull and unstimulating. Instead, I watched another Netflix offering: "Secrets of Great British Castles". Now that was entertaining and very informative !!

btw, I am British as well although have lived in this country pretty much my entire life.

I watched the first episode, didn't care to watch any more. I'd seen quite a few interesting historic documentaries on the royal family, so I didn't think I'd be missing any interesting information. I agree with gardengal in that it struck me the same way, as a fictionalized documentary. In some of the documentaries and interviews I've seen about Elizabeth II, it's been noted that she has been very valuable to her government in foreign affairs, and prime ministers have often asked for her advice. She's had a great deal of experience over these many years. On the subject of English fogs, my mother lived in Leeds and Manchester in the late 40's and said they often had absolutely horrendous fogs. She said after rounding a certain corner she would count her steps so she wouldn't pass her front door because she wouldn't be able to see it. One day she forgot to keep count and walked headfirst straight into a brick wall.

Martin, you and I are in complete agreement. :-) As you said, watching the series made me want to do further reading and research on the details of the Royals and the events leading up to the young Queen's coronation.

I have a memory of my paternal Aunt in Georgia having saved up her pennies to go to London during the Coronation. She was quite the Anglophile, and came home singing the praises of the cheering crowds and spectacle of the Golden Carriage. She also brought home the "mugs" and other royal paraphernalia sold to tourists at that point in time. I was barely 10 years old.

Mary, I watched a BBC TV prog last night about the 1953 Coronation and the Crown Jewels used in the ceremony. It is the first time HM Queen has taken part in a programme and explained the various items of the regalia all of which have great 'spiritual' significance. I learnt that the first part of the ceremony dates back to 973 AD but that in the 1650's Oliver Cromwell had the orb, sceptre, crowns etc melted down and the only ancient item remaining is a golden spoon used to anoint the monarch with holy oil. That dates back to the 1100's.

Also noticed that HM Queen doesn't suffer fools gladly and when the obsequious narrator asked her what the Royal Children were doing back at the Palace while the long ceremony took place she replied "How would I know, I wasn't there." She does have a wonderful smile though! The voice-over female was also rather breathy and gushy but altogether quite an informative show. It will probably follow to your side of the Pond. I think similar progs are on the way.

What I remember of Coronation Day was that it was wet and cold and although we had the day off school some of my class had to attend an outdoor 'service' in the rain. Later about a dozen people crowded around our 9in screen TV at home (including the milkman) and as we children got bored and restless we were sent out . .. probably into the rain again.

Edited to add that HM said the 'golden coach' is most uncomfortable as it only has leather 'straps' for springs and can only travel at one mile an hour as the horses can hardly pull the tremendous weight.

Personally I have always thought it looked quite hideous!

Yes, my wife and I also watched that program. Quite interesting, but I entirely agree that the narrator was a bit obsequious.

I wasn't actually born till a couple of years after the coronation, but my mother has always told me that it rained. Seems to be the main memory of everyone, the weather.

Slightly off-topic, but a rather sad story. A friend of mine went up to London to see the wedding of Charles and Diana. The evening before, she stayed with friends in a flat (apartment to you lot across the pond) in London, only about a mile from the main procession. The next morning, they were all going to get out early to get a place. Due to some sort of mix-up, she found herself left alone, locked in the flat; there was no way out. Before the days of mobile phones, of course - no-one she could ring to be rescued. So she was forced to watch it on a tiny black & white TV when it was happening live only a mile from where she was....

Vee, yes, who but a Cromwell would melt down the royal gold! I always thought the Golden Carriage quite elegant. I think the pictures in my children's book on fairy tale "Cinderella" must have been modeled after the actual carriage of the Queen.

I agree that it is rather slow........I suspect because I have seen so many documentaries and read a lot about the Windsors and the royals ( am I suposed to capitalize that ? ) that perhaps my impatience is that I sort of feel like I've seen it before in another context.

However......even so.....it is very interesting. I found it amusing that there was so much smoking inside . Reminds me of the 50's when every well-appointed home had ash trays on every table and a master one with a lid in which to pour the ashes. I should guess the indoor air quality was almost as poor as outside !

I am sorry that I missed CNN's recent interview with the Queen and hope I can pick it up on demand.

The Queen of Tonga won herself a lot of admiration and a song was written about her because she insisted on having her carriage roof open during the rained-on procession, probably after the Coronation, as it wouldn't have been pleasant sitting in the Abbey for hours in wet clothes!

The Queen in her Golden Coach had a song written about this too, very sentimental and very popular. It was often sung by the slightly inebriated patrons of a nearby pub late at night!

Ann, my husband met the king of Tonga in the 80's when the king was visiting the US. He had chartered a plane and my husband was his pilot. He said the king was a huge man, while his bodyguard was just a little guy.

Re Queen Salote of Tonga who, like her son was a large person. There is a hairy old chestnut that while the Coronation procession was passing someone asked 'Who is that small man in the carriage with the Queen?" Noel Coward answered "He's her lunch."

YoYo - I looked up the AP Style Book about whether to capitalize "royalty" or not. You're safe from being beheaded. Lower caps are fine with the general "royalty" referring to the whole family. It's only individual titles/names that get capitalized (e.g. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry...). Frieda would know better than me, I think, with a journalist background... I'm still learning AP. :-)

And Vee- you made me laugh out loud with that comment about the Queen Salote of Tonga. Naughty, naughty... :-)