What The Crown Has Gotten Right (and Wrong) About Queen Elizabeth II

Prince Philip wasn’t the only man in Queen Elizabeth’s life.

We’re, of course, referring to Henry Herbert, who was given the nickname Porchey having grown up with the courtesy title Lord Porchester, as he was the heir to the Earl of Carnarvon title. (Fun fact: Porchey lived at Highclere Castle, which is now known for being the main estate in Downton Abbey.)

In The Crown, the queen and Porchey have a long lasting friendship thanks to their shared love of horses and the countryside. While Philip’s jealousy of Porchey is unfounded in The Crown, as Elizabeth only ever had eyes for her husband, the show correctly depicted how close the queen and earl were. 

“It was a very equal friendship ranging over many interests,” Porchey’s son George Herbert told The Telegraph. “They were from the same generation. They had been through the war. They shared a great love of the countryside and wildlife as well as horses. Whether they were walking at Sandringham, Highclere or in Scotland, it was always a great obsession.”