Fact-checking: How accurate is 'The Crown' season 6, part 2?

The popular Netflix drama, described as a "love letter" to the late Queen Elizabeth II, aired its finale on 14 December. 

In part two of the final season, the story continues with the Royal Family's life post-Diana, including the beginnings of Prince William and Kate Middleton's relationship at university, the heartbreaking deaths of Princess Margaret and The Queen Mother, and Prince Charles and Camilla's wedding.

While The Crown draws inspiration from historical events, being a Netflix series, there are instances where the show has dramatized the life events of the Royal Family. In the final season, numerous moments have left fans questioning the accuracy of these portrayals and whether they truly transpired in real life.

These are some of the fact-checked moments from the final season: 

Did Kate Middleton meet Princess Diana before her death?

In Season 6, episode 7, a fictional encounter depicts a young Kate Middleton and her mother running into Princess Diana and Prince William while shopping in London. However, in reality, such an interaction never took place. Princess Diana tragically passed away in August 1997 due to fatal injuries sustained in a Paris car crash when Prince William was only 15 years old.

Reflecting on his wedding, Prince William expressed sadness during an ABC interview that his late mother never had the opportunity to meet his wife, Kate. He stated, "I think, hopefully, she'd be very proud. I'm just very sad that she's never going to get a chance to meet Kate."

In a rare comment earlier in the year, Kate Middleton acknowledged on April 27 in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, "I never, sadly, got to meet her. She'd be brilliant. We miss her every day."

Did Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret have the V-E Day adventure?

In the eighth episode titled "The Ritz," viewers witness a flashback featuring a young then-Princess Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret sneaking out on V-E Day on 8 May, 1945, to celebrate the end of World War II in Europe. 

This event did occur in real life, as detailed by Sally Bedell Smith in her biography, "Elizabeth The Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch." According to Time, during this exciting night, the sisters met with a group of guards, the King's equerry, and a governess.

The Queen on V-Day portrayed in The Crown season 6 part 2. Photo: Collected

"I remember we were terrified of being recognized so I pulled my uniform cap well down over my eyes," the Queen told the BBC in 1985. 

She described the "lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, and all of us were swept along by tides of happiness and relief," and called the evening "one of the most memorable nights of my life."

Did Mohamed Al-Fayed blame the Royal family for conspiring Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed's death? 

Yes, the Egyptian billionaire was firmly convinced that Dodi Al-Fayed and Princess Diana met their demise in a conspiracy orchestrated by the British establishment, with a particular focus on Prince Philip, as portrayed in The Crown Season 6. 

Mohamed Al-Fayed in The Crown. Photo: Collected

Al-Fayed further asserted that Diana was pregnant and had plans to marry Dodi.

However, following a comprehensive three-year inquest conducted by the British Metropolitan Police, known as Operation Paget, the official investigation concluded that the car accident was a consequence of "grossly negligent driving" and not indicative of a royal conspiracy, as reported by CNN at the time.

Did the Queen really want to abdicate? 

There is no indication that Queen Elizabeth was contemplating abdication in 2005, and it seems probable that this narrative element was introduced as a compelling conclusion for the series. 

The portrayal suggests the three iterations of the Queen ultimately choosing a life dedicated to duty until the very end.