Thatcher's leadership is challenged after Geoffrey Howe tenders his resignation in Parliament. Thatcher asks Elizabeth to dissolve Parliament but is reminded that both the Conservatives and the country are against her. She later steps down and receives the rare honour of the Order of Merit from Elizabeth. Despite doubts about her capability to carry a solo trip, Diana travels to New York City on a Concorde and charms the general public. When the family gathers at Balmoral for Christmas, Elizabeth refuses to listen to Charles's complaints, telling him he needs to be more grateful for their privilege. Philip tells Diana she is not the only person suffering and should focus on serving Elizabeth, warning her of the consequences if the marriage should fail.

Thatcher's leadership is challenged after Geoffrey Howe tenders his resignation in Parliament. Thatcher asks Elizabeth to dissolve Parliament but is reminded that both the Conservatives and the country are against her. She later steps down and receives the rare honour of the Order of Merit from Elizabeth. Despite doubts about her capability to carry a solo trip, Diana travels to New York City on a ConcordeTh and charms the general public. When the family gathers at Balmoral for Christmas, Elizabeth refuses to listen to Charles's complaints, telling him he needs to be more grateful for their privilege. Philip tells Diana she is not the only person suffering and should focus on serving Elizabeth, warning her of the consequences if the marriage should fail.

Thatcher and the Queen clash over imposing sanctions on apartheid South Africa. The Queen believes that the sanctions are necessary to fight racial segregation and bring the Commonwealth nations together, yet Thatcher believes this would hurt Britain's trade. After a series of modifications, including changing the word sanctions to signals, Thatcher signs the agreement to impose pressure on South Africa. Back in the UK, the press claims that the Queen is "dismayed" with the prime minister's actions. When questioned about it directly by Thatcher, the Queen insists on her apolitical position yet tells her press secretary to remain silent about rumours of a feud between the two women. The Queen's household holds the press secretary Michael Shea responsible for the rumours, to take the attention away from the Queen.

With Edward coming of age, Margaret finds her public role reduced and she falls into depression. She travels abroad to recuperate from having part of her left lung removed, and starts seeing a therapist on Charles's advice. After the therapist inadvertently mentions her deceased maternal first cousins Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon, Margaret learns that they are still alive and, along with three other cousins, in a mental institution. She confronts the Queen Mother, who claims the family had no choice as knowledge of the cousins' existence would have called the purity of the bloodline into question. Margaret confides her insecurities about becoming mad to her therapist, who reassures her she will not. Margaret reassumes her role yet broods in private.

Republican Bob Hawke becomes Australian prime minister, raising the stakes for Charles and Diana’s impending royal visit. He hopes the high cost of the visit will provide the tipping point to public backing of a republic. Diana insists on taking baby Prince William, to the Queen's disapproval. Charles and Diana discuss the difficulties of their marriage; Diana complains about his continuing interest in Camilla; they agree to try harder and, after a shaky start, the visit turns into a success with huge crowds turning out to see the young Princess, and their relationship temporarily improves. The Queen rewatches film footage of her own and Philip's tour of Australia in 1954 and becomes unsettled at the thought that this new royal tour is proving more successful. At an official reception, Hawke tells Charles that Diana has saved the monarchy in Australia. Charles and Diana argue again, and her eating disorder worsens. Back in the UK, they return to separate homes. Diana sees the Queen and tells of their unhappy marriage, but Elizabeth is unsympathetic and, when Diana tries to hug her, she walks out.

Ciara Kelly reviews The Crown Season 4 Episode 5 with Jess Kelly and Henry McKean.

 

Thatcher tells the Queen about the recapture of the Falklands. Meanwhile, unemployment is rising, and Michael Fagan goes to see his MP to complain about the economy and the money spent on the war. The MP sarcastically suggests he should raise his concerns with the Queen. Fagan’s life contrasts with that of the Queen - his cramped rundown squalor of a high-rise council estate, and the spacious luxury and wealth of the Palace. One evening, Fagan climbs over the palace railings. Inside, he is spotted but makes his escape. After being denied contact with his children by social services, he returns and breaks into the palace again, finding the Queen in her bedroom. Fagan talks with the Queen and asks her to save the country from the PM. After Thatcher and the Queen discuss their different social outlooks, the PM leaves to attend the Falklands victory parade.

Ciara Kelly and Kieran Cuddihy review the fourth episode of Season 4 of The Crown.

The Queen meets Thatcher and criticises the state of the economy. Thatcher gets emotional about her son, who is missing while competing in the 1982 Paris–Dakar Rally. Philip and Elizabeth discuss favourite children; Philip says he favours Anne, but won't say who he thinks is hers. Elizabeth has her secretary arrange for her to meet each of her children separately and give her details of their likes and dislikes so that she should not appear remote to them. Each of her children expresses dissatisfaction with their lives and reveals information Elizabeth did not know. Argentina invades the Falkland Islands, and Thatcher demands action to recover them. Mark Thatcher is found in Algeria. Diana is pregnant, and her relationship with Charles has deteriorated. He tells Elizabeth that he is still in regular contact with Camilla. Elizabeth shares her concern about their children's lives with Philip.

Charles proposes to Diana, and she accepts. Diana moves from her London flatshare into the palace, amid a media frenzy. She is tutored in the ways of the palace by her grandmother, and suffers repeated episodes of an eating disorder. While Charles is abroad, she meets Camilla for lunch, and realises that she hardly knows Charles at all, while Camilla knows every detail of their relationship. Distressed, she thinks of calling the marriage off. Meanwhile Charles returns from his trip and sees Camilla before returning home; he tells Diana he had visited her to end their relationship. Margaret tells the Queen that the marriage will be a mistake, but Philip argues that Charles will grow to love Diana. The Queen tells Charles to focus on his duty, and happiness will follow. The marriage goes ahead amid huge public celebrations.

In this episode, Ciara Kelly and Andrea Gilligan discuss how PM Thatcher pushes through significant spending cuts in her first Budget, against opposition from some colleagues. The Thatchers spend an awkward weekend with the Royal Family at Balmoral, and take a dislike to them. Charles continues to confide in Camilla; she encourages him to pursue Diana. Diana is invited to Balmoral and makes a good impression on the family, who push Charles to think about marrying her, despite his reservations. Mrs Thatcher reshuffles her Cabinet to dismiss her opponents.

Ciara Kelly is joined by her Newstalk Breakfast co-host Shane Coleman to review Episode 1 of Season 4 of 'The Crown.'

Prince Charles meets Lady Diana Spencer while waiting to go riding with her elder sister. The Conservatives win the 1979 election, making Margaret Thatcher Britain’s first female Prime Minister. Charles continues to see Camilla, who is now married. Lord Mountbatten and two children, including Lord Mountbatten's grandson, are murdered by an IRA bomb planted on his fishing boat. Travelling home from a fishing holiday in Iceland, Charles receives Mountbatten’s letter criticising his affair with Camilla, and urging him to find a suitable wife. Thatcher promises to defeat the IRA. Mountbatten's funeral is held. Princess Anne resumes her showjumping career; at the event Charles chances upon Diana again, and subsequently asks her out.