The highly-anticipated third series of big budget period drama arrives on Netflix on Friday, covering the events of 1964-1977.

It will see Olivia Colman take over the role of the Queen from Claire Foy, while Tobias Menzies replaces Matt Smith as the Duke of Edinburgh, and Helena Bonham Carter succeeds Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret.

It includes some of the key moments from the Queen’s reign, including the investiture of Prince Charles as Princes Of Wales, her Silver Jubilee, the death of Winston Churchill and the arrival of Harold Wilson in Downing Street.

We take a look through the archives at the pictures that inspired the drama.

The investiture of Prince Charles as Prince Of Wales at Caernarfon Castle

The Netflix series filmed the recreation of Prince Charles’ investiture as Prince Of Wales, which took place in 1969, in the real place where it happened, in the grounds of Caernarfon Castle in North Wales.

Josh O’Connor and Olivia Colman in The Crown (Netflix)
Royalty – Investiture of the Prince of Wales – Caernarfon Castle
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh with the Prince of Wales during his investiture at (PA)

The ceremony was attended by Princess Anne, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, who all wore vibrant colours.

The scene as depicted in The Crown (Netflix)
Royalty – Investiture of the Prince of Wales – Caernarfon Castle
Princess Anne, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret arriving for the investiture (PA)

Funeral of Winston Churchill

The funeral of war-time prime minister Sir Winston Churchill took place in January 1965.

The first episode of the new series of The Crown sees the Queen visiting him on his deathbed, with John Lithgow reprising his role, before attending his state funeral.

Olivia Colman as the Queen and Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip (Netflix)
Politics – State Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill – St Paul’s Cathedral, London
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh lead mourners inside St Paul’s Cathedral during the funeral service for Sir Winston Churchill (PA)

The show also recreates the image of Churchill’s coffin, draped in a union flag and carried by Guardsmen.

The funeral in The Crown (Netflix)
Politics – State Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill – St Paul’s Cathedral, London
Borne by Guardsmen, the coffin of Sir Winston Churchill leaves St Paul’s Cathedral, London, after his funeral (PA)

The Queen’s Silver Jubilee

The Queen wore a distinctive pale pink suit for a service of thanksgiving to mark her Silver Jubilee at St Paul’s Cathedral in 1977.

A key moment in the trailer for the third series sees the monarch in the golden state coach as she travels there, reflecting on her reign and looking mournful.

Olivia Colman in The Crown (Netflix)
(Netflix)
Royalty – Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee
The Queen, in the golden state coach in which she travelled from Buckingham Palace to St Paul’s Cathedral for a thanksgiving service to mark her Silver Jubilee (PA)

Harold Wilson becomes prime minister

The new series also sees the Queen fretting over Labour leader Wilson’s election victory in 1964, as his rise to power comes amid anti-monarchy sentiment and rumours of his possible KGB ties.

Jason Watkins as Harold Wilson (Netflix)

Jason Watkins, best known for appearing in Line Of Duty, takes on the role and must visit the Queen to be invited to form a government.

Politics – Harold Wilson – Downing Street, London
Harold Wilson arriving at Downing Street in 1964 after he accepted the Queen’s request to form a new government (PA)

Charles and Camilla

The show also follows the romance between Prince Charles and Camilla Shand, before she married Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973 and he married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.

The latter wedding is expected to feature in series four of the show, while the prior will be a plot point in the third, with Broadchurch star Andrew Buchan playing Parker Bowles.

Emerald Fennell as Camilla Shand with Josh O’Connor (Netflix)
Royalty – Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker-Bowles – Drury Lane, London
Camilla Parker-Bowles and the Prince of Wales leaving the New London Theatre in Drury Lane in 1975 (PA)

The third series of The Crown will launch on Netflix on November 17.