I discussed Season 4 of the Netflix series The Crown on CBC Ontario Morning including how the series fictionalizes historical events, the portrayals of historical figures such as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the influence of Shakespeare’s history plays on the structure of some of the episodes and the Canadian royal tours that took place in the 1980s but do not appear in the series.

Click here to listen to “Author and historian Carolyn Harris talks about the fourth season of the Netflix series ‘The Crown’ and how accurate the show is in its depiction of people and events.” at CBC Ontario Morning. (Interview begins around 9 minutes after the beginning of the segment).

I discussed Season 4 of The Crown series on Netflix with Robyn Bresnahan on CBC Ottawa Morning including the blend of fact and fiction in the drama, the Canadian tours that are not portrayed in the series, and major themes including the British class system and the experience of living as a member of the royal family in the shadow of the crown.

Click here to listen to “Dissecting the historical drama in season four of The Crown” at CBC Ottawa Morning

I discussed the future of The Crown series on Netflix with Janet Davison for the CBC News Royal Fascinator newsletter. Peter Morgan, the creator of the hit series, has announced that there will be only 5 seasons rather than 6. Since each season dramatizes a decade or less of the lives of Queen Elizabeth II, her family and her Prime Ministers, it is unlikely that the program will cover events in the 21st century. This week’s Royal Fascinator newsletter also discusses the future of the royal family in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth after Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back from royal duties and a royal scandal in Luxembourg.

Click here to read “Not so much of The Crown” in “Who will step up for Harry and Meghan?,” this week’s Royal Fascinator newsletter at CBC News

Season 3 of The Crown series premieres on Netflix today and there is already interest in how much dramatic license has been taken by the writers of the series. I discussed the portrayal of Princess Margaret’s 1965 official visit to the United States with Daniel Arkin at NBC News. President Lyndon Baines Johnson was the only American president elected during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign who did not meet the Queen but he hosted an official dinner at the White House for Princess Margaret.

Click here to read ‘The Crown’ season three: Did Princess Margaret really party with LBJ?” at NBC News

For more about Princess Margaret, I recommend reading 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown and Princess Margaret: A Life in Contrasts by Christopher Warwick.

For more about President Lyndon Johnson, I recommend reading Robert Caro’s ongoing series “The Years of Lyndon Johnson” – The Path to Power, The Means of Ascent, Master of the Senate and The Passage of Power have been published so far.