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How Queen Elizabeth II Really Dealt With An Insulting, Public Critique

The Crown returns in Season 2 to continue the story of Queen Elizabeth II's continued adjustment to the role of monarch at a point in history that was changing rapidly. An interesting bit of drama this time around is Baron Altrincham's criticism of Queen Elizabeth II on The Crown . This new character causes quite a stir indeed. Played by John Heffernan, the Baron throws some major shade and is instrumental to the origin of the Queen's televised Christmas Message on the Netflix series — but did all of that really happen?

In August 1957, John Grigg, also known as Lord Altrincham, published a scathing public criticism in his own National and English Review of Queen Elizabeth II — specifically her public persona. "The personality conveyed by the utterances which are put into her mouth is that of a priggish schoolgirl," Grigg apparently said , according to the Oxford Dictionary Of Modern Quotations , "captain of the hockey team, a prefect, and a recent candidate for confirmation." The dictionary also notes that these remarks spurred protests (mainly because he dared say anything negative about the monarchy) and that Grigg got slapped in front of television cameras — which The Crown naturally does not hesitate to portray. (A New York Times article from 1957 reports that the crown subject cried "take that!" when he slapped Grigg.)

According to The Queen & Us: The Second Elizabethan Age by Nigel Nicholson, Grigg also criticized the "tweedy aristocrats" that made up her entourage, the conservative values that still existed in court, how the way she speaks makes her sound "like a pain in the neck."

These personal attacks on her character and presentation seem quite gendered if not downright sexist. Sure, the Rock & Roll '50s were happening outside her door, and Nicholson argues that his attacks are against the court and how they are choosing to portray the monarch through speeches, you wouldn't criticize a male leader by calling him the captain of anything. This type of "bossy" or "prim" criticism is all too reminiscent of the type of attacks thrown at female leaders who are not considered relatable or approachable enough even today, in 2017.

That said, according to The Guardian , the Queen responded to this criticism with several reforms around court — like informal lunches with her subjects (normal but interesting and accomplished people) and in 1958 ending the practice of having debutantes formally "come out" into society. That used to be a big deal in royal society, much more serious than Rory at cotillion on Gilmore Girls .

The Crown , as a television series dramatizing these events, uses the holiday season for a more direct response. Was Altrincham responsible for the 1957 Royal Christmas Message, the Queen's first to be broadcast on television? That's unclear, however, if you watch the original speech, it does appear as if she is trying extra hard to appear relatable and less aloof. Note the family photos, as well, that make both her and her court seem inviting.

The Christmas Message itself started with King George V in 1932 , according to the official website of the Royal Household, and Elizabeth had already been making radio broadcasts in the first few years of her reign. This wasn't a new idea — just the fact that for the first time, the country and Commonwealth could see her face and inside her home as she spoke.

The Crown portrays Altrincham as a type of hero — which, in a way, he could be. It's always important that people in positions of great power face and respond to constructive criticism and that they be in touch with the people they are sworn to either protect or represent. That said, at a time when women leaders are still few and far between, the gendered nature of this particular attack is disheartening to relive. It was maybe necessary for progress but unfortunate that Elizabeth had to endure the brunt of criticism over institutions that she in no way created.

Maybe you agree with the Baron or maybe you agree with that guy who punched him — but hey, at least it really happened.

Marionettes

Marionettes is the fifth episode in the second season of The Crown .

• 2.1 Historical Events
• 2.2 Historical Figures
• 2.3 Historical Notes
• 2.4 Parallels to The Queen
• 5 References

Synopsis [ ]

After Elizabeth makes a tone-deaf speech at a Jaguar factory, she and the monarchy come under public attack from an outspoken lord. [1]

Episode Notes [ ]

Historical events [ ].

The Queen making her Christmas address, 1957.

The Queen making her Christmas address, 2017.

• The practice of royal Christmas addresses began with the Queen's grandfather, King George V, who made his first address, written by Rudyard Kipling, over the radio in 1932. The address has taken place every year since with the exception of 1936, when King Edward VIII abdicated only weeks earlier. The Queen's message is broadcast throughout the British Commonwealth, and in the U.S., is carried on BBC America on Christmas morning.
• With televisions in the home becoming increasingly commonplace, the Queen made her first televised Christmas address in 1957, a practice that continues to this day. Her first televised address was on the 25th anniversary of the Royal Christmas address; the text of the 1957 royal address is available on the Royal Family's website . On December 25, 2017, the Queen, in her annual Christmas message , recognized the 60th anniversary of this address, while marveling at the change in technology, much as she did sixty years earlier.
• The Queen's garden parties, and debutante balls.

Historical Figures [ ]

• John, Lord Altrincham (pronounced Altringham), born John Grigg, was a journalist and the final editor of the National and English Review.
• "Baboon", Margaret's hair stylist was cutting-edge stylist Vidal Sassoon . Sassoon opened his first salon in London in 1954, where he developed new, simpler and easier care hair that emphasized cut over elaborate styling. By the 1960s his geometric hair cuts were part of a new wave of British fashion that included styles by designers such as Rudi Gernreich and make-up by Mary Quant. He later rose to prominence in the U.S. when he created haircuts for well-known American women, notably Mia Farrow's short haircut for Rosemary's Baby in 1968 and Dorothy Hammil's bob for the 1976 Olympics. By the 1970s he had settled in Los Angeles, marketed a line of styling products and was considered the most famous hair stylist in the world.

Historical Notes [ ]

• National Review
• League of Empire Loyalists

Parallels to The Queen [ ]

• Deer stalking
• Christmas address v. address following Diana's death
• Use of Ardverikie House as Balmoral
• Frequently seen in "The Crown" are two state rooms separated by double doors. Rather than building sets, the production used two rooms at Wilton House, in Salisbury, known as the "Cube" and "Double Cube" rooms.

Gallery [ ]

References [ ].

• ↑ Netflix The Crown

• 1 Princess Margaret
• 2 The Crown
• 3 Prince Philip

A dramatic “ peer sneer” rocks The Crown into modernity

If your idea of a hero is someone who writes an op-ed about how annoying a female leader’s voice is, then boy does The Crown have an episode for you! I kid. “Marionettes” isn’t nearly as problematic as that description makes it sound. It is, however, an episode that lacks a bit of thematic depth. It shines a light on an engaging, under-explored historical story, but it does so in a pretty straightforward manner. Some episodes of The Crown are driven by theme and some are driven by character, but “Marionettes” feels largely driven by plot. That doesn’t make it a bad episode—in fact it’s quite an engaging one to watch—but it feels like it comes from a more simplistic version of the series. Still, a good story well told counts for something in my book, and there’s plenty to enjoy in “Marionettes.”

The episode opens by taking a page out of The West Wing handbook: When you have a straightforward story to tell, start with a quick flash forward to make it feel more complex. “Marionettes” opens with what seems to be the image of a loyal subject chivalrously standing up for the Queen’s honor by punching one of her cruel critics. The flash forward puts us firmly in Elizabeth’s perspective: Lord Altrincham has besmirched her honor with a needlessly cruel critique. That opening scene sets us up to see him as an enemy. But flashing back to one month earlier, The Crown sets about challenging our preconceived notion of Altrincham. He’s perfectly pleasant as he greets his local newspaper salesman on his way into work. A few seconds later we’re in a pitch meeting for the National And English Review , where he’s arguing that the outdated Church of England needs to introduce women priests. He’s trapped in a work environment that clearly doesn’t allow him to fulfill his potential—his coworkers are more interested in toffee than politics—and it’s not long before the poor schmuck’s cracked a tooth. Our second impression of Altrincham couldn’t be more different than our first. “Marionettes” is an episode all about perception. The Queen is meant to be a symbol of the nation but despite her youthfulness, Elizabeth doesn’t exactly feel like a monarch for this new, post-Suez era. Her old fashioned paternalism (or at least the old fashioned paternalism assigned to her by her staff and stylists) is at odds with the increasingly egalitarian ethos of the late 1950s. And a phenomenally condescending speech made at a Jaguar factory is the straw that breaks Altrincham’s back and inspires him to call out his Queen. But Altrincham has a perception issue too. His harsh op-ed (he calls Elizabeth “priggish” and “twiggy”) makes him seem like a radical modernist and he’s treated as such. But it turns out he’s just a kindhearted man who really, really loves the monarchy.

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Through Altrincham, The Crown voices a staunchly pro-monarchy position (and perhaps, some justification for its own existence): As self-motivated politicians come and go, the monarchy provides symbolic stability. The monarch can rise above politics, embody the national character, and unify society. Altrincham isn’t upset that Elizabeth is reigning; he’s upset that she isn’t reigning as effectively as she could. He’s sympathetic to the nearly impossible line Elizabeth must walk between being simultaneously “ordinary and extraordinary,” but he wants to help her do better. Monarchy is a dying governmental system and if the English monarchy is to survive, it must find a way to evolve.

This isn’t the first time The Crown has brought up these issues. This episode reminds me of “Smoke And Mirrors,” not least of all because both center on televising a major event. Philip used to be the voice of modernization within the Royal Family, as he was during the push to broadcast Elizabeth’s coronation, but now Altrincham takes on that role. And as she did with her husband’s suggestions, Elizabeth is willing to hear him out. She pulls a full Batman as she appears and disappears during a secret, off-the-books meeting with Altrincham. And though she’s understandably passive aggressive during their conversation (“Is my voice all right?” she asks sarcastically), she clearly isn’t above listening to his advice. 25 years after George V made his first Christmas speech over the radio, Elizabeth makes her first televised Christmas speech in 1957. And she also opens up the gates of Buckingham Palace to everyday people, kicking off a new, more open era for the monarchy.

An unsung hero is sung, a modern day tradition is explained, and The Crown offers a likable underdog to root for in Altrincham. On one level, this is a lovely historical story perfectly wrapped up with a neat little bow. On another, I also wonder if “Marionettes” doesn’t go deep enough. Though I joked about it at the beginning, it’s true that this episode could’ve examined the ingrained sexism that impacts how we view male and female political figures differently. It’s certainly not a requirement that The Crown explore that angle, but it would seem to be relevant both to the show and to our present day.

I also wonder about the choice to give Altrincham every single ounce of credit for the British monarchy’s evolution. That Altrincham wrote his critical op-ed and that the palace went on to adopt many of his suggestions is historical fact. But Altrincham’s secret meeting with Elizabeth is an invention of the show (he did have a meeting with Martin Charteris). Rather than center the episode on Elizabeth and co. figuring out how to respond to Altrincham’s article, the episode brings in Altrincham himself to make his suggestions in the most straightforward, literal way possible. The Elizabeth/Altrincham meeting is a lot of fun to watch, but it doesn’t leave much for the audience to piece together. And since Altrincham’s personality isn’t really explored beyond “likable dork,” “Marionettes” lacks a complex figure at its center.

The other moment in this episode that sits strangely with me is the Queen Mother’s somber, dreary speech about the monarchy slowly becoming marionettes. In an episode all about the Crown learning to get with the times, the Queen Mother’s mopiness feels like an odd note to end on. That juxtaposition is clearly intentional—she’s driving home just how much the Crown is giving up as it becomes an increasingly ceremonial organization. But it also feels like The Crown could’ve explored that idea without having the Queen Mother simply deliver it in monologue form.

Those few critiques aside, “Marionettes” is a perfectly pleasant historical outing. It’s not The Crown at its best, but it’s certainly not the series at its worst either. It feels a bit like a lesser historical film Tom Hanks would make between Oscar campaigns. But, hey, there are far worse things to watch than that.

Stray observations

• I love that Tommy Lascelles is the kind of person who looks like his dogs.
• In addition to her Batman moment, Elizabeth getting her iconic haircut for the first time is presented like a superhero suiting up. That’s the kind of heightened, hilarious moment The Crown could use more of.
• I enjoyed the brief Philip/Margaret scene. They’re a fun pairing.
• Talk about unrecognizable Game Of Thrones ’ actors: Altrincham’s meek, loyal secretary Patricia Campbell is played by Gemma Whelan a.k.a. Yara Greyjoy. And yes, I’m still struggling to wrap my mind around that fact and I’ve watched this episode twice.
• Here’s the real Elizabeth’s first televised Christmas speech from 1957. Though abridged, The Crown uses the actual text:

THE QUEEN'S SPEECH

§ The QUEEN, being seated on the Throne, and attended by Her Officers of State (the Lords being in their robes), commanded the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, through the Lord Great Chamberlain, to let the Commons know, "It is Her Majesty's pleasure they attend Her immediately in this House."

§ Who being come, with their Speaker:

§ Her Majesty was pleased to speak as follows:

§ "My Lords and Members of the House of Commons

§ "I look forward with much pleasure to the visit which His Excellency the President of the Italian Republic and Signora Gronchi will pay to this country next May.

§ "I and My Dear Husband have been most profoundly moved by our recent stay in Canada and our visit to the United States of America. The warmth of the welcome which greeted us wherever we went was spontaneous evidence of the bond of common sympathy which unites the peoples of the Commonwealth and the English-speaking world. It will be the constant endeavour of My Government to foster this unity of sentiment and purpose among the free peoples, that they may be confirmed in their resolve to defend the right and to sustain those values 2 on which our civilisation is founded. My Government have recently held discussions in Washington with the United States Government, the results of which, they confidently believe, will greatly further the achievement of this aim.

§ "My Government will seek to strengthen the United Nations in the task of maintaining justice and peace throughout the world. They will pursue their endeavours to achieve an agreement on disarmament, mindful that, at this momentous time, the advance of science into the unknown should be inspired by the hopes, and not retarded by the fears, of mankind.

§ "In accordance with their belief in responsible self-government by free peoples My Ministers will continue to promote the economic and constitutional development of the territories overseas which are in their care. They will introduce legislation to give effect to certain recommendations of the Conference held in April, 1957, about the future Constitution of Singapore. They will endeavour, in agreement with the Government of Malta, to further the plans for the closer association of Malta with the United Kingdom. They will continue to seek a just and enduring solution of the problems of Cyprus, in conformity both with the interests of the local communities and with those of this country and our Allies.

§ "Members of the House of Commons

§ "Estimates for the public services will be laid before you in due course.

§ "My Ministers are resolved to take all steps necessary to maintain the value of our money, to preserve the economic basis of full employment by restraining inflation, to strengthen our balance of payments and to fortify our reserves, upon which depends the strength of sterling and hence the strength of the sterling area as a whole. My Government believe that these are purposes which should command the support of all sections of the nation.

§ "My Government welcome the recommendation, made by the recent meeting of Commonwealth Finance Ministers in Canada, that a Commonwealth Trade and Economic Conference should be held in 1958. They consider that this would provide a valuable opportunity to reinforce still further the economic ties between the members of the Commonwealth. My Government also welcome the recent declaration by the Council of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation of their determination to promote the establishment of a European Free Trade Area. It is the firm purpose of My Ministers to seek to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion, and so to strengthen the resources of the free world.

§ "A Bill will be introduced to revise and codify existing legislation relating to import duties.

§ "My Ministers will continue to give support to agriculture and fishing. Legislation will be introduced to amend certain provisions of the Agriculture and Agricultural Holdings Acts and to improve agricultural drainage in Scotland. My Government have completed a comprehensive review of the emergency powers relating to land. They will propose the repeal of certain of these powers and their replacement so far as necessary, by statutory provisions.

§ "A measure will be laid before you to establish a Conservancy Authority for Milford Haven to regulate the increased maritime traffic which should result from the projected development of this important harbour.

§ "My Ministers will seek to promote the progressive development of the institutions of government in this country, to enlarge the opportunities for public service and to foster the sense of shared responsibility for the efficient discharge of the manifold functions of government.

§ "Thus legislation will be laid before you to establish machinery for the reorganisation of local government in England and Wales. This measure will also make adjustments in the rating system and in the system of Exchequer grants to local authorities. Separate legislation will be introduced for these two purposes in Scotland.

§ "You will also be invited to approve a measure to permit the creation of life Peerages for men and women, carrying the right to sit and vote in the House of Lords.

§ "My Government have considered with care the report of the Committee on Administrative Tribunals and Enquiries and will introduce legislation to give effect to certain of the recommendations of that Committee.

§ "My Ministers will continue to promote the social welfare of My people. A Bill will be introduced to improve the arrangements for the industrial rehabilitation, training and resettlement of disabled persons. War pensions will be increased; legislation wills be introduced to authorise increases in retirement and other benefits, and in contributions, under the National Insurance and Industrial Injuries schemes; and My Government will continue to study the wider problems of provision for old age. They will also introduce legislation amending the law relating to the adoption of children and providing for the supervision of those who take children into their care for payment. They will continue to pay particular attention to penal reform and the treatment of offenders, and they will develop improvements in the prison system in the light of an imaginative programme of research.

§ "Other measures will be laid before you in due course.

§ "My Lords and Members of the House Commons

§ "Three weeks ago I opened the Parliament of Canada. To-day, I open Parliament at Westminster, where our forefathers, many centuries ago, laid the first foundations of those institutions of Parliamentary democracy which peoples throughout the world have adopted as the guardian of their rights, their liberties and their hopes. From the New World I have brought a message of firm fellowship and the assurance of a common faith. Bearing in My heart the inspiration of that message, I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsels."

§ House adjourned during pleasure.

§ House resumed at half-past three of the clock, The LORD CHANCELLOR on the Woolsack.

§ Prayers

Noticed a typo? | Report other issues | © UK Parliament

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The Christmas Broadcast, 1957 Transcript

The first televised Christmas Broadcast or ‘Queen’s Speech’, filmed at Sandringham House in Norfolk. Read the transcript here.

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Speaker 1: ( 00:33 ) Happy Christmas. 25 years ago, my grandfather broadcast the first of these Christmas messages. Today is another landmark because television has made it possible for many of you to see me in your homes on Christmas Day. My own family often gather around to watch television, as they are at this moment. And that is how I imagine you now. I very much hope that this new medium will make my Christmas message more personal and direct. It’s inevitable that I should seem a rather remote figure to many of you, a successor to the kings and queens of history, someone whose face may be familiar in newspapers and films but who never rarely touches your personal lives. But now at least for a few minutes, I welcome you to the piece of my own home. That it’s possible for some of you to see me today is just another example of the speed at which things are changing all around us. Because of these changes, I’m not surprised that many people feel lost and unable to decide what to hold onto and what to discard, how to take advantage of the new life without losing the best of the old.

Speaker 1: ( 02:08 ) But it’s not the new inventions which are the difficulty. The trouble is caused by unthinking people who carelessly throw away ageless ideals as if they were owed and outworn machinery. They would have religion thrown aside, morality and personal and public life made meaningless, honesty counted as foolishness and self-interest set up in place of self-restraint. At this critical moment in our history, we will certainly lose the trust and respect to the world if we just abandon those fundamental principles which guided the men and women who built the greatness of this country and Commonwealth. Today, we need a special kind of courage, not the kind needed in battle, but a kind which makes us stand up for everything that we know is right, everything that is true and honest. We need the kind of courage that can withstand the subtle corruption of the cynics so that we can show the world that we are not afraid of the future. It has always been easier to hate and destroy. To build and to cherish is much more difficult.

Speaker 1: ( 03:38 ) That’s why we can take a pride in the new Commonwealth we are building. This year, Ghana and Malaya joined our brotherhood. Both these countries are entirely self-governing. Both achieved their new status amicably and peacefully. This advance is a wonderful tribute to the efforts of men of goodwill who have worked together as friends, and I welcome these two countries with all my heart. Last October, I opened the new Canadian Parliament. And as you know, this was the first time that any sovereign had done so in Ottawa. Once again, I was overwhelmed by the loyalty and enthusiasm of my Canadian people. Also during 1957, my husband and I paid visits to Portugal, France, Denmark and the United States of America. In each case, the arrangements and formalities were managed with great skill, but no one could have managed the welcome we received from the people. In each country, I was welcomed as head of the Commonwealth and as your representative. These nations are our friends largely because we’ve always tried to do our best to be honest and kindly and because we have tried to stand up for what we believe to be right.

Speaker 1: ( 05:22 ) In the old days, the monarch soldiers on the battlefield, and his leadership at all times was close and personal. Today, things are very different. I cannot lead you into battle. I do not give you laws or administer justice, but I can do something else. I can give you my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations. I believe in qualities and in our strength. I believe that together, we can set an example to the world, which will encourage upright people everywhere.

Speaker 1: ( 06:11 ) I would like to read you a few lines from Pilgrim’s Progress because I’m sure we can say with Mr. Valiant-for-Truth these words. “Though with great difficulty, I am got hither. Yet now I do not repent me of all the trouble I have been at to arrive where I am. My sword I give to him, which will succeed me in my pilgrimage and my courage and skill to him that can get it. My marks and scars I carry with me to be a witness for me that I have fought his battles who now will be my rewarder.” I hope that 1958 may bring you God’s blessing and all the things you long for. And so I wish you all, young and old, wherever you may be all the fun and enjoyment and the peace of a very happy Christmas.

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The Seven Most Memorable Speeches Given By Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II's annual Christmas address may have been the most famous, but her 21st birthday one is even more powerful.

BuzzFeed News Reporter

Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, of England on tour of South Africa in 1947

As a world leader for over 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II had to make a lot of speeches.

Some of her most powerful addresses came before she even officially took the throne, and continued through regular speeches on Christmas and in moments of crisis. Even just months before her death at age 96 , the queen was still speaking to the nation, reminiscing fondly about her husband, Prince Philip .

Here are some of her most memorable.

1947 Birthday Message

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Though she wouldn’t be queen until 1956, Princess Elizabeth delivered a message on her 21st birthday in South Africa in which she dedicated her life to serving the British Empire.

1997 Tribute to Princess Diana

After Princess Diana’s death, Queen Elizabeth honored her daughter-in-law’s unforgettable life with remarks at Buckingham Palace, even though the pair had a notoriously difficult relationship.

“In good times and bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh, nor to inspire others with her warmth and kindness,” Queen Elizabeth said. “I admired and respected her for her energy and commitment to others, and especially for her devotion to her two boys.”

2020 COVID-19 Broadcast

In an April 2020 address livestreamed from Windsor Castle, Queen Elizabeth acknowledged the toll the COVID-19 pandemic had taken on the world and encouraged others to persevere.

She ended the broadcast with the now iconic line, “We will meet again.”

1940 BBC Children’s Hour Broadcast

At just 13 years old, Princess Elizabeth delivered her first-ever public speech on the radio. a morale-boosting message addressed to fellow young people affected by World War II.

“And when peace comes, remember it will be for us, the children of today, to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place,” she said.

1960 State Opening of Parliament

To kick off the parliamentary year, the queen highlights priorities for the upcoming months. Queen Elizabeth delivered a particularly rousing speech in 1960, which was also the first one filmed in color.

“My armed forces will continue to make their contribution to the safeguarding of world peace,” she said. “The friendship which links us to our great ally, the United States of America, is a powerful element of the defense of peace.”

1957 Christmas Broadcast

Queen Elizabeth delivered her first Christmas address to the UK in 1957, in what became a national tradition that has also served as a unifying event at the end of each year. She wasn’t the first to broadcast a Christmas speech, but she was the first to have her speeches televised, 25 years after her grandfather King George V’s appeared on the radio.

“Twenty-five years ago, my grandfather broadcast the first of these Christmas messages,” she said. “Today is another landmark, because television has made it possible for many of you to see me in your homes on Christmas Day. My own family often gather round to watch television, as they are at this moment, and that is how I imagine you now.

“I very much hope that this new medium will make my Christmas message more personal and direct. It’s inevitable that I should seem a rather remote figure to many of you, a successor to the kings and queens of history, someone whose face may be familiar in newspapers and films but who never really touches your personal lives. But now, at least for a few minutes, I welcome you to the peace of my own home.”

2021 Christmas Broadcast

In her final Christmas speech, Queen Elizabeth honored her late husband, Prince Philip, with a heartfelt address.

“His sense of service, intellectual curiosity, and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation were all irrepressible,” she said. “That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him.”

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Did Queen Elizabeth Just Prove She Watches The Crown ?

A rumor spread among Netflix bingers and royal watchers earlier this year that Queen Elizabeth was, herself, a fan of the award-winning series The Crown depicting her first years at the head of the monarchy. According to those reports, in fact, the Queen enjoyed the series though clucked her tongue, predictably at some of the “heavily dramatized” historical liberties. The Crown star Claire Foy didn’t trust the rumors, telling Vanity Fair : “I will believe it when I see it is all I’ll say.” Well perhaps after this year’s Christmas speech in which the Queen appears to have included a cute little nod to Season 2, Foy will believe she has a royal fan.

In the fifth episode of the most recent season of The Crown , Foy’s version of The Queen gives a disastrous and stiff speech to workers at a car factory. At the time and as depicted in the episode, royal critic Lord Altrincham suggested one solution to the Queen’s communication difficulties was to televise her annual Christmas message—which she has done ever since. In this year’s speech, many suspect, the Queen paid direct homage to that Season 2 plot.

The Queen opened by saying: “Sixty years ago today, a young woman spoke about the speed of technological change as she presented the first television broadcast of its kind. She described the moment as a landmark. Six decades on, the presenter has ‘evolved’ somewhat, as has the technology she described.” Don’t let the third person fool you, the Queen is talking of herself here, and of a moment Foy embodied beautifully for Netflix.

Now it’s entirely possible that someone else—savvy to the show—slipped that reference in on the Queen’s behalf. But whether authored by Elizabeth herself or someone close to her, the acknowledgment of The Crown was a hit with audiences.

This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.

Lord Altrincham himself couldn’t have come up with a better way to humanize the Queen than to out her as a fellow binge watcher. Before Season 1 aired, Claire Foy admitted she was in denial that the Queen might ever watch her performance. “She’s got other things to do with her time,” Foy said and then, contemplating royal disapproval, added: “We’ll get put in The Tower for treason.”

But Foy has since adopted a less fearful attitude, telling Vanity Fair : “I would be very interested to see what she thinks about historical elements of it. . .the personal level of it, and seeing someone else act out your life, and act out your most painful moments of grief, or happiness, or fear, or triumph, or whatever, I don’t think would be a very enjoyable thing, which is why I doubt very much that she’s watched it.”

But whether or not the Queen is a fan of Foy or her performance, Foy is an unabashed fan of the Queen. Thanking her directly during a SAG acceptance speech earlier this year, Foy said : “She’s been at the center of the world. I think the world could do with a few more women at the center of it.”

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s Seven-Decade Marriage, in Photos

Joanna Robinson

Joanna robinson is a senior staff writer at *vanity fair.*.