The fifth season of The Crown has officially dropped on Netflix, and we’re engrossed in the drama that’s unfolding over the show’s new decade — the ’90s. Ever since the highly acclaimed series debuted in 2016, it’s taken some creative liberties from time to time, despite heavily relying on history to guide its plot. As we tune into the drama “inspired by” historical events, GRAZIA USA is unpacking every time we asked ourselves, “Did that really happen?”
We’re focusing on The Crown’s fourth episode, “Annus Horribilis,” which begins at a lunch held at the Guildhall to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 40 years on the throne.
“It’s not often that Queen Elizabeth II lets the world know her innermost thoughts and feelings,” a reporter says overhead as a newsreel plays in the background. “Her voice still hoarse from inhaling smoke and laboring under the weight of a cold, she delivered an unprecedentedly frank expression of personal sadness and regret. The stark admission of failure and a horrible year for the royal family could be seen as a plea for sympathy and forgiveness after what can only be described as a turbulent 12 months.”
The show rewinds to weeks before the luncheon, where Her Royal Highness is anxiously traveling to Windsor Castle — which is on fire. The Queen looks on at the impending wreckage as firemen run all around her. “She’s like any mother watching her own home burn down,” a reporter says. “She’s absolutely devastated.” After the fire is put out, the Queen and Prince Philip embrace in their dilapidated, charred home.
The Queen is seen watching a news program, where the plan for paying for damages comes up. The news program believes that taxpayers shouldn’t foot the bill, during a time when the royal family was exempt from paying taxes.
Princess Margaret pays her sister a visit and asks how the fire happened. “A spotlight blew a fuse or something,” Queen Elizabeth tells her. “In the private chapel. All very innocent.”
There’s other drama boiling in the royal family at this time — three of the Queen’s children are heading towards divorce. And at the luncheon (seen at the beginning of the episode), the Queen dubs the year of 1992 “Annus Horribilis,” a Latin phrase for “horrible year.”
So what actually happened during this time? On Nov. 20, 1992, a fire did, indeed break out in Windsor Castle. It reportedly started in Queen Victoria’s Private Chapel. A spotlight located near the chapel’s alter was pressed against a curtain, igniting the flames. According to the Royal Collection Trust, 115 rooms in the nearly 1,000-year-old castle were destroyed, including nine State Rooms. Windsor Castle was said to be the Queen’s favorite place, but she was, fortunately, not on the property at the time of the fire. Prince Andrew, however, was at the residence at the time, and made sure most of the art works and royal valuables were saved.
Windsor Castle had its own fire brigade, made up of 20 people, but quickly needed more reinforcements. Aid from Reading fire station was called to the scene and about an hour later, 25 fire trucks arrived with over 200 firefighters from surrounding counties. The establishment burned for 15 hours.
Repairs ended up costing approximately $50 million. To aid in financing the reparation, the Queen opened Buckingham Palace up to the tourists for the first time and charged entry, making up 70% of the lofty bill paid for by the public. The Queen’s bank, Coutts, also opened an independent trust for private donations. After spending about $25 million of her own money, the Queen also agreed to begin paying income taxes in 1993. The castle was restored by Donald Insall Associates which completed their work in five years, by November 1997.
Queen Elizabeth’s children did end their marriages in 1992. Princess Anne divorced Mark Philips, while Prince Charles and Princess Diana announced their separation the same year. Prince Andrew and his then-wife Sarah Ferguson were faced with rumors of infidelity, and also separated in 1992.
