The Stars of "The Crown" Look a Lot Like the Royals They Play

This article appeared in cleverclassic.com and has been published here with permission.

If you've watched Netflix's The Crown, we're sure you'll agree that the stars who play the characters of the British royal family look extremely similar to their real-life counterparts. Though historians and critics have pointed out a few historical inaccuracies, the show depicts the most important royal historical moments with as much accuracy as possible. Let's look at this fascinating series by looking at the stars of the show. We'll see what the creators got wrong and the things they got right.

The Stars of The Crown

Creating a series that depicts the life of one of the world's most famous families with historical accuracy is no easy feat. Neither is casting the actors and actresses that have very big shoes to fill when portraying these roles.

However, we think that the casting team of The Crown got it spot-on with the stars they chose to play the aging monarchs over the six seasons of the award-winning show.

Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II

British actress Claire Foy was cast in the role of a young Queen Elizabeth II for seasons one and two of the hit show. Starting her career on stage, the actress was only 32 years old when she was cast as the young royal.

Looking at these pictures of Foy in costume, she featured a stark resemblance to a young Elizabeth. She used her natural English charm to portray this great monarch for Netflix viewers worldwide.

Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II

Broadchurch star Olivia Colman added The Crown to her impressive resume in late 2019. Colman was cast as Queen Elizabeth II for seasons three and four of the Netflix series.

It's easy to see why she was cast as the ruling monarch when you look at these side-by-side pictures. No stranger to TV, Colman's grace was one of the leading factors that made her the perfect choice for the role.

The Queen Mother's Role

The Queen Mother is portrayed in The Crown as a hardy woman who played a more diplomatic role in Elizabeth's life. While this showed her strength as a royal, it gave viewers the impression that she wasn't a caring and attentive mother or grandmother.

The real Queen Mother took a keen interest in her children and grandchildren's lives, and would often care for Princess Anne and Prince Charles while their mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was on tour and conducting state visits.