The third episode of the season tells the life story of the Egyptian business tycoon Mohamed Al-Fayed, played as a young man by Amir El-Masry and as an older man by Salim Daw.

From his humble beginnings in Alexandria, Egypt, we see the businessman rise to become an influential international businessman with strong ambitions for his family, particularly his son Dodi Fayed (Khalid Abdalla).

Following the death of Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (Lia Williams), Al-Fayed purchases the home of the late Duke of Windsor and is advised in his endeavours to emulate and grow close to the British royal family.

In the process of this, Al-Fayed faces disappointment until he and his son cross paths with Diana, Princess of Wales.

To read more on what is true or not see our pieces below:

• Read More: Mohamed Al-Fayed rise to wealth explained – who plays him in The Crown?
• Read More: Who was Dodi Fayed and who plays him in The Crown?
• Read More: Who was Sydney Johnson? True story of Duke of Windsor’s valet 
• Read More: Duchess of Windsor Wallis Simpson’s tragic final days explained
• Read More: How did Diana first meet Dodi Fayed and Mohamed Al-Fayed?

Episode 4: Annus Horribilis

The fourth episode of the fifth season is named after the famous speech that the Queen gave in 1992 concerning the troubles that the family faced that year.

The Queen must deal with the collapse of three royal marriages: Anne, Princess Royal gets a divorce; Prince Andrew splits from his wife Sarah, Duchess of York; and Charles, Prince of Wales formally separates from his wife Diana, Princess of Wales.

Amid this emotional strife, a fire breaks out at Windsor Castle, causing the Queen even more pain.

Meanwhile, the Queen’s younger sister Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Lesley Manville) is reunited with her first love, Group Captain Peter Townsend (Timothy Dalton), forcing her to confront her past.

To read more on what is true or not see our pieces below:

• Read More: How to listen to Princess Margaret’s Desert Island Discs
• Read More: The Crown: How did Charles and Diana meet? A timeline of their courtship and marriage collapse
• Read More: The Crown: Full timeline of Prince Andrew’s relationship with Sarah Ferguson
• Read More: True story behind Princess Anne and Timothy Laurence’s romance

Episode 5: The Way Ahead

Netflix/Keith Bernstein

The fifth episode of The Crown season 5 focuses primarily on the newly-separated Charles, Prince of Wales and his efforts to modernise the monarchy and carve out a more influential role for himself.

However, a spanner is thrown in the works when a tape recording of an intimate conversation between the Prince and his married lover Camilla Parker Bowles (Olivia Williams) causes embarrassment for the pair and the royal family as a whole.

In the aftermath, Charles comes out fighting, giving a television interview and taking active steps to build a strong team around him to defy his critics.

Episode 6: Ipatiev House

Courtesy of Netflix

In the sixth instalment, the fall of the Soviet Union sees the Queen receive Russian leader Boris Yeltsin at Buckingham Palace before then heading to the Russian Federation for a state visit alongside her husband Prince Philip.

Amid these political changes, the royal couple faced up to their family’s own history in Russia as they become involved in the recovery and burial of Tsar Nicholas II and his family, who were murdered at Ipatiev House by the Bolsheviks in Yekaterinburg in 1918.

Philip is aided in his research by Penny Knatchbull, forcing the Queen and her husband to consider their ancestors’ legacy and also their marriage.

Episode 7: No Woman’s Land

Netflix

The seventh episode centres on Princess Diana as she feels increasingly isolated following her eldest son Prince William (Senan West) leaving to study at Eton and her ongoing separation from Charles.

Amid this unhappy state of limbo, Diana is increasingly fearful that her husband and his advisors are taking steps against her.

During this troubled time, BBC journalist Martin Bashir (Prasanna Puwanarajah) manoeuvers to obtain an interview for Panorama with the Princess.

Meanwhile, Diana finds fresh hope for happiness when she meets the heart surgeon Dr Hasnat Khan (Humayun Saeed).

Episode 8: Gunpowder

Netflix

The eighth episode focuses on internal politics at the BBC as the possibility of the BBC Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales is raised.

In the end, the director general John Birt agrees to Martin Bashir interviewing the Princess – and he does, with explosive results for the royal family in the media.

Meanwhile, Prince William spends more time with the Queen and is impacted by the airing of the interview.

Episode 9: Couple 31

Netflix

The penultimate episode of the season sees the Queen request that Charles and Diana officially divorce to give themselves, their family and the country some certainty.

As the divorce begins, relations between the Prince and Princess of Wales prove to be antagonistic, until the Queen requests that Prime Minister John Major intervenes as an intermediary.

Meanwhile, Charles hires a media advisor in the form of Mark Bolland to help the Prince’s partner Camilla navigate the public sphere and help them to plan a future together.

Elsewhere, Diana finds herself increasingly isolated following her split from Dr Khan and contemplates her own future.

Finally, Charles and Diana share a very honest discussion about their marriage that also sees some uncomfortable opinions aired.

Episode 10: Decommissioned

Netflix

In the season finale, John Major loses the general election in 1997 to Labour leader Tony Blair (Bertie Carvel) who wins by a landslide.

In response, the Queen says farewell to one PM and welcomes another, but faces some of Mr Blair’s policies that are difficult for her – namely the decommissioning of the royal yacht Britannia.

For its last journey, Charles travels aboard the yacht to Hong Kong for the transfer of sovereignty and enjoys a holiday with Camilla before having a frank discussion with the new PM.

Meanwhile, Princess Diana continues to feel isolated before agreeing to join Mohamed Al-Fayed’s family on holiday in St. Tropez – where she will be reunited with the now-engaged Dodi Fayed.

To read more on what is true or not see our pieces below:

• Read More: The Crown season 5 cast: Full list of actors and characters
• Read More: The Crown season 5 timeline – what events does it cover?

The Crown seasons 1 to 5 are available now on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £6.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

Looking for something else to watch? Visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide.

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