WHEN it was announced Netflix's blockbuster series The Crown would continue to document Britain's Royal Family and the country's history into the 21st century, two female characters, outside The Queen herself, loomed large.
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There's arguably never been a member of the Royal Family more beloved than the late Princess Diana, whose 1997 death in a car crash remains the most infamous celebrity news event in modern history.
And when it comes to British political figures, nobody changed the landscape of the country more as prime minister than Margaret Thatcher.
Season four of The Crown introduces Diana (Emma Corrin) and Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) to the story of House Windsor. Corrin gives an innocent and playful account of Diana, while Anderson takes more time to get under Thatcher's distinct voice and mannerisms.
The story begins in 1979 as Thatcher becomes the UK's first female PM, something Her Majesty welcomes. Meanwhile, Prince Charles is continuing his affair with the married Camilla Parker Bowles to his family's disgust.
The assassination of Lord Mountbatten by the IRA and his parting letter to Charles, demanding he do his duty and find a wife fit to be a princess, seemingly encourages Charles to pursue a young Diana Spencer.
After an inauspicious beginning as Thatcher, Anderson steps up in episode two when the "Iron Lady" and her husband are invited to holiday with the Royal Family at Balmoral. It's an awkward experience that creates subtle comedy as Thatcher's dedication to work and dislike of privilege jar with the Royal Family's love of posh pastimes like hunting.
Given its coverage of more recent history season four is an easier watch, and while the plot twists won't surprise, it's the nuances that keep you invested.