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The Crown Season 3: 7 Shocking Behind-the-Scenes Facts And The Full New Cast Biography

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As of December 22, 2025, *The Crown* Season 3 remains a pivotal and highly debated chapter in the acclaimed Netflix series, marking the dramatic transition of the entire main cast. Released in 2019, this season takes the royal narrative into the turbulent period of 1964 to 1977, a time of significant political and social upheaval in Britain, requiring a more mature and nuanced portrayal of the central figures. The shift from Claire Foy to Oscar-winner Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II, alongside the introduction of a completely new ensemble, was a calculated risk that fundamentally altered the show's dynamic, focusing on the monarchy's struggle to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world. The season is particularly noted for its unflinching dramatization of several national crises and personal dramas, most famously the devastating Aberfan disaster and the complex coming-of-age of Prince Charles as the Prince of Wales. While the initial seasons focused on the early reign, Season 3 delves into the emotional toll of duty, the breakdown of key relationships, and the necessary—yet often painful—evolution of the Royal Family's public image. This deep dive into a less-glamorous era of the monarchy has cemented its status as a cornerstone of the entire series.

The Complete Biography and New Main Cast of Season 3

In a move unprecedented for the series at the time, Season 3 saw a complete overhaul of the principal cast to accurately reflect the aging of the characters. This new ensemble brought fresh interpretations to the iconic roles, covering a period that spanned from 1964 to 1977.

  • Queen Elizabeth II: Olivia Colman
    Biography: Colman, already an Oscar-winner for her portrayal of Queen Anne in The Favourite, took over the lead role from Claire Foy. Her portrayal focused on a more stoic, emotionally repressed Queen, grappling with national tragedies and her own children's growing independence.
  • Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh: Tobias Menzies
    Biography: Replacing Matt Smith, Menzies (known for roles in Outlander and Game of Thrones) depicted a middle-aged Prince Philip struggling with his identity, his relationship with his mother, Princess Alice, and his ongoing search for purpose outside the Queen's shadow.
  • Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon: Helena Bonham Carter
    Biography: Bonham Carter succeeded Vanessa Kirby, bringing her signature eccentric energy to a Princess Margaret whose marriage to Lord Snowdon (played by Ben Daniels) begins to unravel dramatically. The season explores her complex relationship with the Queen and her search for fulfillment.
  • Prince Charles (later King Charles III): Josh O'Connor
    Biography: O'Connor's breakthrough role saw him portray the young Prince Charles from his university years through his investiture as the Prince of Wales. The performance captures the young royal's vulnerability and his feeling of being an outsider within his own family.
  • Princess Anne: Erin Doherty
    Biography: Doherty’s portrayal introduced the Queen's daughter as a sharp-witted, independent, and often overlooked young royal, establishing her as a fan favorite for her no-nonsense attitude and candid remarks.
  • Harold Wilson: Jason Watkins
    Biography: Watkins played the Labour Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, who served two non-consecutive terms during this period. The show focuses on the surprisingly warm and complex relationship that develops between the socialist politician and the monarch.
  • The Queen Mother: Marion Bailey
    Biography: Bailey took over the role from Victoria Hamilton, portraying the Queen Mother as a steady, traditional figure who often provides quiet counsel to her daughter.

The True Story Behind the Aberfan Disaster Episode

The third episode of Season 3, simply titled "Aberfan," is widely considered one of the most powerful and difficult installments of the entire series. It dramatizes the catastrophic 1966 Aberfan disaster, where a coal waste tip collapsed onto a primary school in the Welsh village of Aberfan, killing 144 people, including 116 children.

The Fictionalized Grief: The episode hinges on the controversy surrounding Queen Elizabeth II's delayed visit to the site. In the show, the Queen is initially reluctant to go, believing her presence would be a distraction. When she finally visits eight days later, she is criticized for appearing unemotional. The episode dramatically suggests she was forced to "fake" tears during her visit to satisfy public opinion.

The Historical Controversy: This depiction of the Queen faking her tears is one of the season’s most contentious historical inaccuracies. While it is true that her initial delay was a source of public criticism, biographers and royal experts largely agree that the Queen was deeply affected by the tragedy. She reportedly regretted her delayed response for the rest of her life, and her emotional reaction, though private, was genuine. The episode was the first time this national tragedy had been dramatized on screen, making the fictionalized element of her emotional response a significant point of debate for viewers and historians.

The Intense Preparation for Prince Charles's Welsh Investiture

One of the season's most compelling storylines is the sixth episode, "Tywysog Cymru" (Prince of Wales), which details Prince Charles’s (Josh O'Connor) time studying Welsh at Aberystwyth University in preparation for his 1969 Investiture ceremony at Caernarfon Castle. This episode is rich with LSI keywords and topical entities, including the Welsh nationalist movement and the political tensions surrounding the royal title.

Josh O'Connor’s Immersive Research: To bring authenticity to the role, Josh O'Connor undertook intensive preparation that goes beyond standard acting work. He revealed that he not only learned the entire speech for the Investiture ceremony but memorized it completely in the Welsh language. This level of dedication was crucial for portraying the young Prince's struggle to connect with a nation often hostile to the English monarchy.

The Broken Coronet Fact: A fascinating, little-known detail from the real history of the Investiture was briefly touched upon in the show. The gold coronet made for the ceremony was modern and abstract. In real life, the chemical engineer in charge of electroforming the gold for the coronet accidentally broke the orb a few weeks before the ceremony. He managed to fix it just in time, a high-stakes, behind-the-scenes drama that underscored the pressure surrounding the event.

The episode successfully captured the political conflict of the time, where Prince Charles’s attempt to learn the Welsh language and culture was met with skepticism and protest by Welsh nationalists, who viewed the Investiture as a symbol of English oppression. The show highlights the Prince's feeling of isolation and his attempt to find a voice within the confines of his royal duty.

Key Controversies and Historical Inaccuracies in Season 3

While celebrated for its production value and acting, *The Crown* has always walked a fine line between historical fact and dramatized fiction, and Season 3 was no exception. The increased focus on personal drama and political intrigue led to several key historical inaccuracies that have been debated long after the season's release.

  • The Lord Mountbatten Coup Plot: The season opens with a dramatic storyline involving Lord Mountbatten (Charles Dance) allegedly plotting a coup against Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Historians widely agree that while there was political unrest and anti-Wilson sentiment among some establishment figures, the idea of a formal, military-backed coup was highly exaggerated and fictionalized for dramatic effect. This serves as a powerful example of the show taking creative license with historical events.
  • Princess Alice’s Interview: Episode 4, "Bubbikins," focuses on Prince Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, who was living at Buckingham Palace. The episode features a journalist from The Guardian conducting a sensational interview with her. While Princess Alice did live at the Palace and was a fascinating, complex figure (having founded a religious order and been deaf), the dramatic, one-on-one interview as depicted in the show is entirely fictional. The real-life journalist, John Armstrong, was actually interviewing Prince Philip, and Alice's brief interaction with him was far less dramatic.
  • The Timing of Princess Margaret's Affair: The final episode, "Cri de Coeur," chronicles the breakdown of Princess Margaret's marriage to Lord Snowdon, culminating in her affair with Roddy Llewellyn. While the affair and the subsequent divorce are historical facts, the show compresses the timeline and dramatizes the emotional intensity, suggesting a more immediate and volatile collapse of the marriage than the real-life events. The episode uses her personal crisis to reflect the monarchy's struggle to adapt to the changing social morals of the 1970s.

Ultimately, *The Crown* Season 3 is a masterclass in historical fiction, using the established facts of the monarchy's life between 1964 and 1977 as a springboard for exploring the universal themes of duty, personal sacrifice, and the relentless march of time. The casting change, initially seen as a risk, proved to be a brilliant narrative device, allowing the series to maintain its emotional depth while moving into a new, fascinating era of royal history.

the crown season 3
the crown season 3

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