Exploring the real people, historical events, and behind the scenes of Netflix's series that follows the life of Queen Elizabeth II and her family.

The Crown

Entertainment

<a href="https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a29849010/princess-alice-battenberg-the-crown-real-life/" target="_blank">Alice of Battenberg</a>, mother to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and mother-in-law to Queen Elizabeth II, was very much like <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/real-life-images-that-inspired-the-crown/rachel-souerbry" target="_blank">the figure depicted</a> in Season 3 of The Crown. She was born in Windsor Castle, spent much of her life living in Greece, and was generally regarded as a kind soul.

Alice of Battenberg lived many lives during her 84 years - she was wife to Prince Andrew of Greece, an exiled princess in Paris, a rescue worker during WWII, and a nun. She was born deaf and spent time in an asylum, just as the show indicates, but there are many more details about her fascinating life and her family&nbsp;that veer&nbsp;away from - and enhance - what The Crown would have you believe.

Princess Alice of Battenberg's Real Life Was Even More Dramatic Than What You Saw On 'The Crown'

General

Who Was Alice Of Battenberg?

Melissa Sartore

Interesting

For us plebians, it&#39;s hard to fully imagine what life as a royal is like. Because there are so few people who can even slightly relate to this lifestyle, it&#39;s been the center of much questioning over the years. What do their daily lives look like? How did they get their nicknames? Have they always been so well-known?&nbsp;

A lot of these royal family questions are a little superficial and can likely be answered by the common knowledge about the rules and regulations of royal families today. Others, however, take a little more finesse and understanding of historical events. That&#39;s where the Reddit channel AskHistorians&nbsp;comes in. This page consists of questions posed by curious people who just want answers to some of history&#39;s&nbsp;biggest questions - obvious or never been asked before. Then, actual historians and professionals answer those questions with well-sourced information.

Take a look at some of the history questions about royal people and families that we wish we had the answers to long ago.

Historians Answer Questions About Historical Royals We Should Have Asked Ages Ago

Historians Answer Questions About Historical Royals

Mallory Weiler

Trending on Ranker

<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-princess-movies/ranker-film?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Movies about princesses</a>&nbsp;have always been a favorite genre amongst fans, especially when they&#39;re rooted in favorites from childhood. The women in princess movies were always fierce, strong, smart, and loyal, perfect characters for young people to look up to. From unanswered questions&nbsp;to character quirks,&nbsp;some passionate fans managed to come up with&nbsp;some interesting&nbsp;theories surrounding&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-princess-movies/ranker-film" target="_blank">films about princesses.</a>

Check out these <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/small-details-about-disney-princesses/loren-o_connell" target="_blank">princess&nbsp;movie</a>&nbsp;fan theories&nbsp;below, and don&#39;t forget to vote!

Fun Fan Theories From Movies About Princesses That We Really Want To Believe

Loren O'Connell

Royalty

In th 1870s, rich Americans came up with a new scheme: they sold their daughters abroad, marrying them off to British aristocrats in exchange for a title. In a country without an aristocracy, suddenly every rich American wanted a duchess in the family. The young women, who often didn&#39;t have a choice, became known as the Dollar Princesses.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/what-counts-as-nobility-in-europe/ella-talkin" target="_blank">Buying noble titles</a> was an old practice, of course, but Americans took it to a new level with Gilded-Age marriages.&nbsp;American brides carried huge fortunes across the sea, including some of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-lavish-dowries-in-history/carly-silver" target="_blank">most lavish dowries in history</a>. In a matter of decades, the Dollar Princesses sent $25 billion to the United Kingdom, propping up aristocratic families and infusing the European economy with new money.

Many Dollar Princesses, like Consuelo Vanderbilt, weren&#39;t happy at all about being sold overseas. Railroad heiress Alice Thaw&nbsp;had to <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-american-rich-kids-bought-their-way-into-the-british-elite-4252/" target="_blank">wait in the church</a> while her intended, the Earl of Yarmouth, renegotiated her dowry with her father. On the positive side, these cold-hearted transactions did lead to several notable Brits, including Winston Churchill and Princess Diana.&nbsp;

The Dollar Princesses: How American Social Climbers Sold Their Daughters To British Nobles For Rank

The Dollar Princesses: How Americans Social Climbers Sold Their Daughters To British Nobles For Rank

Genevieve Carlton

Elisabeth of Austria&nbsp;was one of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-warrior-queens-in-history/carly-silver" target="_blank">most powerful monarchs</a> of the 19th century. Remarkably beautiful, Elisabeth, nicknamed Sisi, defied Austrian court traditions. She traveled often and became a beloved figure in both Austria and Hungary.&nbsp;Elisabeth was very concerned with her looks; she engaged in strange beauty rituals and aggressive exercise routines. Elisabeth's iconoclastic ways resulted in&nbsp;her bizarre death at the hands of an anarchist.

The Tragic Life Of Elisabeth Of Austria

Phil Gibbons

Get to know the fascinating family headed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and comprised of her four children, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren—some of whom may someday become the King of England.

The Royal Family

Royal Family

What is life like in Buckingham Palace? That continues to be a bit of a mystery. As a royal residence and an official state building, Buckingham Palace operates in both private and public spheres. Buckingham Palace on the inside contains rooms designated for official purposes, with private apartments nearby for the queen and members of her family.

Living and working in Buckingham Palace comes with a variety of perks - staff enjoy everything from medical services to exercise facilities. Some of the challenges of the aging structure, including a leaking roof and falling detritus, may not seem like the ideal living situation, but as part of Buckingham Palace&#39;s history, these defects could just be considered part of the building&#39;s charm. The size and grandeur of Buckingham Palace exceeds general knowledge, and maybe even expectation, giving individuals living in Buckingham Palace access to much more than meets the eye.

What's It Like To Live At Buckingham Palace?

What's Life Like In Buckingham Palace?

Exploring the strange and fascinating lives of rulers, royals, and royalty all around the world and throughout history.

We Will Never Be Royals

The grounds of British royal palaces are a bloody mess, or at least they were in the past - as centuries-old&nbsp;history haunts the same places today. Although these royal estates are among&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-beautiful-buildings-around-the-world" target="_blank">the most beautiful buildings in the world</a>, the spirits that stalk palace grounds remind those in the present day of&nbsp;past tragedies. From the winding&nbsp;cloisters of Windsor&nbsp;Castle to the looming fortress walls of the Tower of London, the unsettled spirits of past monarchs and their minions wander and lurk. Apparitions, screams, and even bloodstains serve as unsettling reminders of past inhumanities.

No one, however, is staying away from these&nbsp;castles and fortresses, which are lively tourist spots. Britain&#39;s palaces are <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/historical-landmarks-to-see-before-i-die" target="_blank">historical landmarks anyone should see</a>&nbsp;before they leave this world themselves. But if you&#39;re looking for some royal paranormal activity (or looking to avoid it), here are the places to keep an eye and ear out for when it comes to haunted British history.

Royally Twisted Stories And Legends About British Royal Palaces

British Royal Palace Ghost Stories And Creepy Legends

Crystal Brackett

Much of history has been led by&nbsp;absolute monarchies, and they&#39;ve taught humanity a painful but&nbsp;important lesson about life: Just because someone is the king or queen, it doesn&#39;t mean they&#39;re actually qualified to run a country. They may not even be qualified to run a sandwich shop, quite frankly. If there&#39;s one takeaway from&nbsp;Game of Thrones, it&#39;s that primogeniture is a terrible way to choose a leader.&nbsp;

History is full of examples of the wrong people being put in power. Even an otherwise effective ruler isn&#39;t immune to&nbsp;the kind of boneheaded decisions that land&nbsp;you on an internet list&nbsp;centuries later. Watching royals completely screw up is one of life&#39;s great joys (thank you,&nbsp;The Crown), and in that spirit, here are some&nbsp;bad decisions by historical royalty that immediately backfired.&nbsp;

Dumb Decisions By Historical Royals That Immediately Backfired

Jim Rowley

British

Her story may be well known, but these surprising facts about Princess Diana are a reminder that there is always something new and unexpected to learn about the People&#39;s Princess.

Born in 1961, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/princess-diana-early-life-small-details/genevieve-carlton" target="_blank">Lady Diana Spencer</a> became Diana, Princess of Wales, when she married Prince Charles in 1981. Though the marriage had some bright spots - such as the births of their two sons Princes William and Harry - it quickly turned toxic. Torn apart by incompatibility and infidelity, the royal couple divorced in 1996.

Tragically, the next year Diana experienced a horrific car crash in Paris. Her untimely passing provoked an outpouring of global grief that solidified her status as the much-loved, much-missed People&#39;s Princess&nbsp;who was more interested in connecting with everyday folks than playing the royal game.

But Diana&#39;s life was more than a royal fable of lost love, popular support, and a tragic end. From unexpected family connections to her&nbsp;reading&nbsp;tastes, these facts about Princess Diana&#39;s life prove that the most recognizable figures in the world are sometimes the most surprising ones, as well.

Facts About Princess Diana That Sound Made Up But Aren't

Setareh Janda

Princess Anne, the only <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/life-of-sarah-ferguson-duchess-of-york/cleo-egnal?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">daughter of Queen Elizabeth</a> II and Prince Philip, may not receive as much scrutiny from the general public as her older brother Prince Charles or nephews Prince William and Prince Harry, but she&#39;s still had an eventful life. From making the British Olympic team as an equestrian, to nearly being&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/attempted-kidnapping-of-princess-anne/cleo-egnal" target="_blank">kidnapped</a>&nbsp;just weeks after her wedding, to being nominated for a Nobel Prize, the Princess Royal has packed a lot of living into her&nbsp;years.&nbsp;

Blunt and often sharp-tongued, and with little use for pretense,&nbsp;she is considered one of the most popular members of the British royal family in the eyes of the general public&nbsp;and has&nbsp;earned the informal title of being the hardest-working royal. And she managed to carry out her royal duties while providing her children with a fairly normal childhood (well, as normal as one can have as a member of the British royal family),&nbsp;keeping them more or less out of the spotlight.

Here is more about the Princess Royal, who, as of this writing, is 14th in line to inherit the British throne.

Facts About Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth II’s Overlooked Daughter

TGWrites

All about Diana Spencer, the beloved Princess of Wales, who married and divorced a future king and tragically died in 1997 at age 36.

The People's Princess

The Crown&nbsp;dishes on behind-the-throne drama featuring members of the British royal family, and one royal couple cooked up more drama than most: Diana and Charles. But what was Diana and Charles&#39;s relationship really like? How much did&nbsp;The Crown&nbsp;get right? And how do the details provided in the show shed new light on the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/relationship-between-charles-and-diana/veronica-walsingham" target="_blank">royal couple&#39;s troubled relationship</a>?

Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, began dating Lady Diana Spencer in 1980. Charles asked Diana to marry him in early 1981 after only a handful of dates. When news broke of Diana and Charles&#39;s engagement, the media circus surrounding the couple went into overdrive. The world watched as Prince Charles and Princess Diana got married, had children, and eventually fell out in a painfully public separation.&nbsp;

The Crown&nbsp;shares a number of facts about Charles and Diana&#39;s relationship. Though not everything in the show is rooted in documented fact, a higher truth persists: Prince Charles and Princess Diana were two wounded people who never should have gotten married, but were bound together in a bitterly unhappy, tragic relationship.

Details About Charles And Diana’s Relationship That 'The Crown' Brought To Light

Details About Diana and Charles' Relationship In ‘The Crown’

The last words of historical royalty offer a unique look into the final moments of their lives. Was their last utterance an act of kindness like Marie Antoinette&#39;s? Or a touching, perhaps dazed, expression of love like Napoleon&#39;s?&nbsp;

While some of the last words of famous kings and queens are well-documented, others could be more legend than historical fact - especially those that go farther back in history. But for those royals, the stories surrounding their last words are just as informing as the reported words themselves. In any case, the last words found here range from the incoherent, confused ramblings of royals quickly losing health to the sound communications from royals all too aware of what was about to happen.&nbsp;

The Actual Last Words Of Historical Royals And Rulers

Person

Garri Chaverst

Explainer

In the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/violent-medieval-monarchs/carly-silver" target="_blank">violent</a> and dramatic history of the English monarchy, the story of Lady Jane Grey stands out as one of the most tragic. She was a teenage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-female-monarchs/reference" target="_blank">Queen of England</a> who&nbsp;ruled for only nine&nbsp;days before she was deposed and ultimately <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/stupidest-ways-royals-have-died-in-history/setareh-janda?var=9&amp;utm_expid=16418821-324.2rKKjRK2SiiDbzpdgYwgeg.4&amp;utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F" target="_blank">executed</a>. But there is a lot more to Lady Jane&rsquo;s story than the fact that she had the briefest reign in English history.

Lady Jane Grey was born in October 1537 to a powerful noble family with close ties to the throne. She came of age during the reign of Edward VI. He was the Protestant ruler of an England that had been Catholic only a few decades before, and Edward was resolved to keep his kingdom Protestant. By 1553,&nbsp;it became clear that 15-year-old King Edward VI was going to pass without an heir.&nbsp;So, those in power began to look for&nbsp;suitable candidates to become the next king or queen. Lady Jane was at the top of some people&rsquo;s list - but not everyone&#39;s.

Why was Lady Jane Grey important? A glance at&nbsp;a Lady Jane Grey family tree reveals why she would be a likely pick for the English throne: her mother was the king&#39;s cousin. So in July 1553, after Edward&#39;s death, Lady Jane&nbsp;became Queen of England under very bizarre circumstances.

Some would argue that the throne was never hers to begin with; Lady Jane&rsquo;s fall was just as swift and astonishing as her rise. Nine&nbsp;days after becoming queen, Lady Jane was deposed by Mary I, Edward&#39;s Catholic older sister. At the age of just 16, Jane had won and lost a crown.&nbsp;

This Teenager Ruled England For Nine Days... Before She Had Her Head Cut Off

Depending on the monarchy, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-historical-kings/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">becoming king</a> can happen in one of several ways. Some kings earn their place on the throne through military conquest, while others are born into the role. Still&nbsp;others are placed into a position of power by groups of supporters who prefer them to the current king.

A new king may be a willing participant or - as is the case with these young monarchs - end up wearing a crown that is much too big for them, and before they even know what it is. Many of the youngest <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/notable-monarch_s)/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">kings in history</a> became rulers while they were, as the saying goes, still in diapers. At least one was a king before he was even born. Here are the youngest kings in history who climbed on the throne, but likely needed a boost to get there.

14 Of The Youngest Kings In History

British Monarchy

The royal family has no shortage of exquisite jewels. Due in part to the reach of the British Empire, monarchs have amassed caches of gemstones from around the world, along with <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/surprising-things-queen-elizabeth-ii-owns/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">other treasures</a>. Some are placed in ceremonial objects like the <a href="https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/the-crown-jewels/#gs.h3lkhn" target="_blank">Crown Jewels</a>; others are worked into more wearable accessories. Tiaras may not be daily adornments for the princesses and duchesses of the various noble houses of England, but few objects are more intimately associated with <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weird-rules-royal-family-must-follow/eric-eidelstein" target="_blank">royalty</a>.

From <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/rare-princess-diana-photos/katejacobson" target="_blank">Princess Diana&#39;s</a> family heirloom to a treasured piece worn by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, here are some of the royal family&#39;s most memorable - and beautiful - tiaras.

The Most Beautiful Tiaras Belonging To The British Royal Family

Sarah Hatheway

History

If you&#39;re a history buff, you love the stories of yesteryear - the ancient battles, the curious characters, the firsts, the lasts, and the empires that never stood a chance. Some of the most entertaining stories involve the people who were ostensibly ruling the world - the kings, queens, emperors, and upstarts&nbsp;whose words were often law.&nbsp;

Of course, no matter how lofty their intentions, these monarchs were still human. In 2020, we learned some <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-historical-queens/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">incredible facts about queens</a> and kings that made us say, &quot;Whoa!&quot; And, &quot;Really?&quot; And sometimes, &quot;Gross.&quot; We&#39;ve taken the most intriguing facts of this year&#39;s weekly and monthly lists about royals and created a Greatest Hits compilation. Check out these new facts about historical royalty, and vote up your favorites.

Facts About Historical Royals We Just Learned In 2020 That Made Us Say ‘Really?’

Alby Thompson

Royalty lists at Ranker - The ultimate source for hundreds of royalty lists and rankings

Royalty lists on Ranker

Belle

Mulan

Ariel

Fun facts, fan theories, and rankings of Disney's most memorable human and creature characters.

The Characters of Disney

Popular Opinion

Who are the best Disney princesses? For decades, <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-disney-animated-movies/ranker-film?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Walt Disney films</a> have featured beautiful princesses. Some, like Rapunzel from Tangled,&nbsp;lived in ancient castles, tucked away from the world. Other princesses, like Ariel from The Little Mermaid,&nbsp;lived under the sea. Each of the animated young women on this list is considered a true Disney princess, but which one is your favorite? Vote for her, and vote down any princess you don&#39;t think deserves a place of royal honor on this list.

The vast majority of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/disney-movies-you-probably-forgot-about/bailey-cavender?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the Disney movie</a> princesses listed here are actually real royalty, born into their titles. Some, however, aren&#39;t actually princesses, though they are no doubt beautiful and, in some cases, heroic. Jane Porter, from Walt Disney&#39;s &#39;Tarzan,&#39; is not true royalty. No, Jane is from Baltimore. No royal families in Maryland (that we know of). Cinderella is hidden away by her evil stepmother, but later meets the Prince, and becomes her royal highness. And Merida, from Disney and Pixar&#39;s 2012 hit movie Brave,&nbsp;is technically a princess&mdash;but she&#39;s far from helpless. Merida seems to be ushering in a whole new kind of Disney heroine: one who is beautiful, smart, and independent!

Who are the oldest Disney princesses? Snow White was the first princess to be featured in a Walt Disney Picture film, in 1937&#39;s classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.&nbsp;The aforementioned Cinderella (from 1950&#39;s Cinderella) is the second oldest, followed by Princess Aurora, from Disney&#39;s 1959 animated movie Sleeping Beauty.&nbsp;Yes, they are fictional characters, but wow don&#39;t they age well?

Take a look at&nbsp;the list of princesses below and vote up your top choices. If you still can&#39;t get enough, you can always find favorite Disney princess memorabilia.&nbsp;You&nbsp;can also check out&nbsp;and vote on these lists of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-and-worst-disney-animated-movies/disney-fangirl" target="_blank">best and worst Disney animated movies</a> and the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-animated-disney-villain" target="_blank">greatest animated Disney villain</a> of all time.