In the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's recent death, people all over the world have been reflecting on her long reign. If you're anything like me, that reflection comes in two parts: reading the Queen's Wikipedia page and clicking every available blue link, and rewatching The Crown.
While the Queen's communications secretary, Donal McCabe, wrote in a 2019 letter to the Guardian that the show is a "fictionalized interpretation of historical events" and that the royals aren't "complicit in interpretations made by the program," it's clear that the production takes pains to vividly recreate the look and feel of the historical moments it depicts.
One of the most stunning aspects of the show's production design can be found in the meticulously designed costumes of its characters. The royal family may be a closed book when it comes to the sort of personal drama that the show likes to cover, but their style couldn't be more public.
Let's take a closer look at that style, and The Crown's take on it, through these 16 side-by-side comparisons of the real-life royals and the costumes they inspired.
The Crown's wardrobe department has been led by three costume designers so far: Michele Clapton for Season 1, Jane Petrie for Season 2, and Amy Roberts for seasons 3 and 4.
1. Here's Princess Elizabeth on the day she married Philip in 1947.
And here's a shot that highlights her exquisitely detailed veil.
Here's Claire Foy as Princess Elizabeth in "Wolferton Splash," the very first episode of The Crown.
And here's a close-up of the veil.
And this is the side-by-side comparison of the two looks.
Just as an added bonus, here's the royal wedding cake.
2. Here's Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) and Queen Mary (the Queen's grandmother) at Princess Elizabeth's wedding in 1947.
And here are Victoria Hamilton and Eileen Atkins as Elizabeth and Mary in "Wolferton Splash."
And this is the side-by-side comparison of the two looks.
3. Here is Queen Elizabeth II wearing her coronation gown in 1953.
And here is Claire Foy wearing the show's version of the gown in Season 1, Episode 5, "Smoke and Mirrors."
(That's a promotional photo from Netflix, and wasn't taken from the episode itself. I have combed through "Smoke and Mirrors," and I can't find the bejeweled gown anywhere; I think a close-up shot may have been cut in favor of highlighting this much simpler dress Elizabeth wears during her anointment. Either way, it's beautiful and worth appreciating.)
Anyway, here is the side-by-side comparison of the two looks.
4. Here is the Queen Mother, Prince Charles, and Princess Margaret at the Queen's coronation in 1953.
And here is Victoria Hamilton, Billy Jenkins, and Vanessa Kirby as Elizabeth, Charles, and Margaret, respectively, in "Smoke and Mirrors."
And here is the side-by-side comparison of their looks.
5. Here's the Duke of Windsor, aka the ex-King Edward VIII, and his wife, the Duchess of Windsor, aka Wallis Simpson.
And here are the pair, played by Alex Jennings and Lia Williams, in Season 1, Episode 8, "Pride and Joy."
Of course, this isn't an exact comparison like the costumes we've seen so far, but the recreation of the couple's "life of leisure" pose with their pet dogs was too good to skip over.
6. Here is Princess Margaret on her wedding day in 1960.
And here is the show's recreation of her wedding gown in Season 2, Episode 7, "Matrimonium." Vanessa Kirby plays Princess Margaret in the first two seasons of the show.
And this is the side-by-side comparison of the two gowns.
7. Here's the Queen and Prince Philip meeting John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy in 1961.
And here's the show's recreation of the Queen's ballgown and Jackie's more modern evening gown in Season 2, Episode 8, "Dear Mrs. Kennedy." Jackie is played by Jodi Balfour.
And this is the side-by-side comparison of their looks.
8. Here is Queen Elizabeth dancing with Ghanaian president Kwame Nkrumah in Accra in 1961.
And here is the show's recreation of that moment, with Danny Sapani playing President Nkrumah.
And here are the two moments side by side.
9. Here is the Queen during her 1966 visit to Aberfan, Wales in the wake of a devastating tragedy: the collapse of a coal tip, resulting in the deaths of 144 people, most of them children.
And here is the show's recreation of the somber day in the third episode of Season 3, "Aberfan," with Olivia Colman as the Queen.
And this is the side-by-side comparison of the two outfits.
10. Here is the Queen at the 1969 investiture of her eldest son, Charles, the Prince of Wales.
And here's the show's recreation of her outfit in Season 3, Episode 6, "Tywysog Cymru."
And this is the side-by-side comparison of the two looks.
11. Here is the Queen during her Silver Jubilee celebration in 1977.
And here the Queen on her way to the celebration in the Season 3 finale, "Cri de Coeur."
And this is the side-by-side comparison of the two looks.
12. Here are the outfits Lady Diana and Prince Charles wore when they announced their engagement in 1981.
And here is The Crown's recreation of their announcement, with Emma Corrin as Diana and Josh O'Connor as Charles.
And this is a side-by-side comparison of the two moments.
13. Here is Princess Diana in the iconic gown that she wore to marry Prince Charles in 1981.
And here is The Crown's take on the dress, as seen in Season 4, Episode 3, "Fairytale."
And this is a side-by-side comparison of the two gowns.
14. Here's Princess Diana attending a performance at the Royal Opera House in 1982.
And here's the show's version of the gown.
And this is the side-by-side comparison of the two looks.
15. Here's Princess Diana and Prince Charles attending a gala in Sydney, Australia in 1983.
And here are the Princess and Prince of Wales during their Australian tour in Season 4, Episode 6, "Terra Nullius."
And here is the side-by-side comparison of the two looks.
16. And finally: Here is Princess Diana and Prince Charles visiting Uluru in Australia in 1983.
And here are their onscreen counterparts doing the exact same thing in "Terra Nullius."
And this is the side-by-side comparison of the two photo ops.
