The first season covers the period from Elizabeth and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh's marriage in 1947 to the disintegration of her sister Princess Margaret's engagement to Group Captain Peter Townsend in 1955. The second season covers the period from the Suez Crisis in 1956 to the retirement of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in 1963 and the birth of Prince Edward in 1964. The third season spans the period between 1964 and 1977, including Harold Wilson's two periods as prime minister, and introduces Camilla Shand. The fourth season spans 1977 to 1990 and includes Margaret Thatcher's premiership and Lady Diana Spencer.
The fourth season was released on November 15, 2020, with a fifth anticipated in 2022.
The Crown has received critical acclaim for its acting, directing, writing, cinematography, production values, and relatively accurate historical account of Queen Elizabeth's reign.