Five incredibly good-looking reasons to watch ‘The Crown’

Haven’t seen The Crown yet? Even if you have, mama, here are five extra reasons to love it all over again

Can’t get enough of the royal family, mama? If you haven’t already, you’ll want to check out the sumptuous Netflix series The Crown. Based on the award-winning play, ‘The Audience’, The Crown tells the inside story of Queen Elizabeth II’s early reign, revealing the personal intrigues, romances, and political rivalries behind the great events that shaped the second half of the 20th Century. The series isn’t simply about the monarchy, but is about an empire in decline, a world in disarray, and the dawn of a new era.

You may have seen the rave reviews from The Telegraph and Vanity Fair, but if the international excitement isn’t enough to convince you to watch we’ve rounded up five visually-stunning reasons why you should add it to your queue straight away.

1. The wedding dress

Kate who? The iconic wedding dress worn by the future Queen Elizabeth II inspired generations of gowns to come, including Kate Middleton’s. The dress was made of ivory duchess satin and embellished with crystals, 10,000 seed pearls and silver thread. The designer, royal favourite Norman Hartnell, is said to have taken inspiration from Botticelli’s Primavera when designing the elaborate embroidery of scattered flowers on the 15-foot court train. It took six weeks for The Crown’s costume designers to complete the embroidery and beading on the replica dress worn by Claire Foy, who plays Elizabeth on the show.

2. Authentic accessories

There’s a visual aesthetic that truly encompasses all facets of The Crown’s post-war Britain with iconic British locations and meticulously recreated sets and dressing. Costume designer Michele Clapton (you might have heard of her, she works on a little show called Game of Thrones?) and her team invested significant time and research to recreate and reimagine more than 300 ensembles worn by the principal cast during the show. The result is a strong sense of authenticity and historical accuracy, down to the last jewel on Elizabeth’s coronation crown.

3. Princess Margaret the style icon

Princess Margaret was a ‘royal rebel’ in the fashion stakes and at the forefront of fashion and style. Her love for oversized sunglasses, nipped-in waists, designer silk scarves and fur jackets became known as ‘The Margaret Look’. The press couldn’t get enough — every detail of her attire was pored over by newspapers and magazines, and it was Margaret’s love of Christian Dior’s ‘New Look’ that made the style gain widespread popularity in Britain. In The Crown, Margaret is portrayed by Vanessa Kirby (Me Before You, Jupiter Ascending), who delivers the royal ‘It Girl’ flair with aplomb.

4. Stunning locations

Two-thirds of The Crown is shot on location, including incredible stately homes, historical landmarks and the sweeping British countryside. A lot of creativity also went into finding perfect locations for iconic buildings that might not be readily accessible for filming. Buckingham Palace, for example, uses multiple locations including studio sets, stately homes, and the studio backlot to recreate the most famous palace in the world. The Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire was a stand-in for Westminster Abbey during the wedding scenes.

5. Matt Smith

Need we say more? The floppy-haired heartthrob first came to our attention as the Eleventh Doctor in Dr. Who. He now takes on the challenging role of Prince Philip, a great family man whose life changed forever when his wife became queen. You’d be hard pressed to find a man as gracious and adoring as Prince Philip, and Matt Smith plays it well – just look at how he steals a loving glance at Elizabeth during the royal wedding. Pro tip: If you’re itching for more, the trailer is a fantastic source of Matt Smith. Watch it now.