History Characters / TheCrown2016TheRoyalHousehold

->'''Played By''': Harry Haddon-Paton (Seasons 1-2), Charles Edwards (Season 3)

-->Not bloody bad, Charles!

* AlwaysOnDuty: Tommy spots Elizabeth arriving unexpectedly at his home while looking out the window of his study. Within seconds, he has donned a jacket and is greeting her at the door as if he had been expecting her the entire time.

* YourCheatingHeart: A major (and legal) reason Eileen divorced him, he was cheating on her and spending more time with his mistresses and at his job than with her and the kids.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: After multiple reviews praised the performance of Pip Torrens and the entertainment of his character, the writers brought Tommy back repeatedly in Season 2, despite his ostensible retirement.

* MagnificentBastard: His traditionalism and stuffiness are often deeply frustrating to members of the Royal Family he serves, and occasionally his colleagues. However, his instincts are almost always correct, and he explains his positions so calmly and intelligently that objections are quickly put to rest. He continues to act as an unofficial adviser to other courtiers after his retirement.

* ClothingReflectsPersonality: Even watching television at home, he ''always'' wears a necktie.

** Even ''reminders'' of the Duke of Windsor make his mood considerably worse. His patience with Peter Townsend, already thin, runs out completely right after Peter breaks out the phrase "the woman I love," and he audibly struggles to control his voice when the Queen herself insists on passing over Michael Adeane for Martin Charteris.

** Even ''reminders'' of the Duke of Windsor make his mood considerably worse; his patience with Peter Townsend, already thin, runs out completely right after Peter breaks out the phrase "the woman I love."

A leading British art historian and Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures.

* {{Blackmail}}: After he is outed as Soviet mole, Prince Philip finds him alone at an event and threateningly tells him to slink away, never to return. However, Blunt coldly retorts that he has access to incriminating portraits of the Prince that could link him to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profumo_affair Profumo affair]], causing the Prince to immediately back off.
* TheMole: Chillingly, it is revealed that the Queen's own art curator, with access to God only knows what kind of sensitive information whilst working in such close proximity to the Royals, is a member of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_Five Cambridge Five]], a group of spies working for the Soviet Union.
* TreacherousAdvisor: Treachery being the operative word -- he infiltrates the palace under the guise of Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures in order to pass sensitive information back to the Soviets.
* TreacheryIsASpecialKindOfEvil: So furious is the Queen when she finds out about his treachery, but is still compelled to play nice during a speech in his honour, that she not-so-subtly alludes to his duplicity with a succession of loaded comments.

[[folder:Sir Tommy Lascelles]]

* DisapprovingLook: Tommy is the ''god'' of this, and can always be counted on to make one whenever anyone besmirches the good name of the Royal Family -- or, worse when members of the Royal Family besmirch themselves.

* LongDistanceRelationship: Admits his own marriage has often been one of these. This is TruthInTelevision as Lascelles' real-life diaries indicate that his wife and children spent most of their time at their home in the country, but frequently visited him in London.

* ObstructiveBureaucrat: Is the main force behind frustrating the modernizing energies of Philip, and Margaret's affair with Peter, often on the instruction of the Queen Mother.

-->A kind and generous offer, as befits the widow of a kind... (pause) and generous man.

* NumberTwo: As Elizabeth's Private Secretary before her accession, he later becomes the Junior Deputy Secretary to the Sovereign under Tommy Lascelles.

* TheGenericGuy: He's a rather bland and unremarkable lackey, prone to fall back to Lascelles and let him manage tough issues. He's so unremarkable that it takes Philip months to realize he's retired despite having been at his retirement party and given him a gift.

* NumberTwo: Somewhat averted, as despite being Private Secretary to the Sovereign, his first action in any crisis is to call the now-retired Tommy.

* ManlyTears: As he prepares to depart England after breaking off his engagement to Princess Margaret, Peter Townsend breaks down into sobs for a moment.

* DeadpanSnarker: He is a master of it, when he chooses to use it, which is infrequently.

* CassandraTruth: He tries to warn about how tone-deaf the Queen's speech was to Lascelles and Adeane but was brushed off as a whining, pessimistic "progressive or liberal." He turned out right when the backlash came at her.
** Also in Season 3 is the first to suggest that the Queen should visit Aberfan to express her sympathy to the family of the victims. He's quickly shut down, almost obliviously, by the Queen and Adeane, alongside Wilson.

** A flashback in Season 3 reveals he doesn't bother to soften up when speaking privately to Elizabeth and Margaret, who were very young girls and the latter who starts to cry.

!!Dean Robin Woods

The Dean of Windsor who starts to use the empty St. George's House a place of retreat and reflection for other clergymen and becomes a confidant to Philip.

[[/folder]]

!! The Royal Household
[[folder: Peter Townsend]]
!!Group Captain Peter Townsend
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/petertownsend.jpg]]

->'''Played By''': Ben Miles

A former RAF commander and equerry to King George VI. By the time of the King's death and Elizabeth's elevation to the throne, he has been in a secret relationship with Princess Margaret for several years. The two are devoted to each other, but numerous public and personal obstacles to their relationship will test this devotion.

----

* AcePilot: He was a Hurricane pilot during [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII the Battle of Britain]] and logged several confirmed kills, although he is hesitant to speak about his wartime experiences.
* AgeGapRomance: There was a 16 year age gap between him and Margaret. And a more extreme example of this trope would be his marriage to a 19-year-old -- when he was 45.
* AmicableExes: Reportedly, with his ex-wife.
* HumbleHero: When Philip brings up his dashing war record, Peter is deflective, answering he downed one or two planes. In reality, Townsend got 9 confirmed aerial victories, 2 shared and 2 more unconfirmed before he became equerry to the King in 1944.
* MeaningfulLook: Exchanges one of these with Margaret at breakfast. Elizabeth picks up on this.
* ReassignedToAntarctica: Appointed air attaché at the Brussels British Embassy, which is just an honourable manner to exile him away from Margaret.
* StarCrossedLover: His romance with Princess Margaret has too many obstacles to overcome and is finally ended by a Royal veto.
* TheStoic: To the extent that Philip considers him far too dull to marry Margaret.
* TallDarkAndHandsome: Well, he is played by Ben Miles.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sir Tommy Lascelles]]
!!Private Secretary Sir Alan "Tommy" Lascelles
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_crown_season_3_1703494.jpg]]

->'''Played By''': Pip Torrens

-> ''"You need to understand how things are done here."''

Private Secretary to King George VI, and Elizabeth's first Private Secretary upon becoming Queen. A stoic, reserved and formal man, he is devoted to serving and protecting the monarchy -- at any cost.

----

* AlwaysOnDuty: Tommy spots Elizabeth arriving unexpectedly at his home while looking out the window of his study. Within seconds, he has donned a jacket and is greeting her at the door as if he had been expecting her the entire time.
* BadassMoustache: A highly competent and dominating handler and advisor with a fitting moustache that enhances his powerful presence. During Philip's investiture as a British prince, we see Tommy in the background with the other old-fashioned courtiers, or "[[BeardOfEvil moustaches]]," whom Philip resents.
* BearerOfBadNews: Often the bearer of harsh truths and bad news, like Adeane after him, but without Adeane's visible reluctance. It’s left to Lascelles to reveal the extent of the former Edward VIII’s involvement with the Nazis to the abdicated monarch’s niece.
* BerserkButton:
** Tommy never raises his voice, but it can get distinctly more clipped if you piss him off. A quick way to do this is to insult the memory of King George VI, as the Duke of Windsor discovers in Season 1.
--->Nothing weak about the late king, ''sir''. I'm sure I speak for everyone present when I call him a hero.
** Pretty much anything involving the Duke and Duchess of Windsor puts Tommy in an especially bad mood, as he was Private Secretary to the Sovereign at the beginning of Edward VIII's reign.
** Even ''reminders'' of the Duke of Windsor make his mood considerably worse; his patience with Peter Townsend, already thin, runs out completely right after Peter breaks out the phrase "the woman I love."
* {{Bookworm}}: The real-life Tommy Lascelles was known as a prodigious reader. In the show, when he "unexpectedly" meets Eileen Parker in the park, he is reading a tome about the campaigns of Napoleon.
* BritishStuffiness: ''Incarnate''. He's incredibly strait-laced, and views any sort of frivolity, modernity or suggestiveness with deep suspicion, disapproval, and occasionally outright zealotry.
** A flashback in Season 3 reveals he doesn't bother to soften up when speaking privately to Elizabeth and Margaret, who were very young girls and the latter who starts to cry.
* BrutalHonesty: He rarely sugarcoats things, even when speaking with the monarch (although naturally he's a bit more diplomatic in his manner with her than with others).
* CanineCompanion: Tommy lets his two Scottish deerhounds join him on the couch and, at one point, in Michael Adeane's office. (The two dogs, with their solemn expressions and scruffy faces, have something of an UncattyResemblance to Tommy.)
* CharacterTics: The viewer can tell Lascelles is alive while addressing someone because he locks his hands behind his back and moves his fingers nervously.
* CigaretteOfAnxiety: Pairs a cigarette with [[INeedAFreakingDrink a glass of whiskey]] soon after George VI's death.
* ClothingReflectsPersonality: Even watching television at home, he ''always'' wears a necktie.
* TheComicallySerious: His stone-faced but yet contemptuous demeanour when addressing very delicate matters makes him unexpectedly hilarious.
* CommutingOnABus: After his official retirement, he's still called to manage sensitive situations with some frequency.
* TheConsigliere: Or "henchman," as Margaret puts it, to Elizabeth (and the three monarchs who preceded her).
* CoolCar: When Tommy runs into the Queen in the front drive of Buckingham Palace, she mistakes his Rolls-Royce for one of the Royal cars; in fact, as he tells her, the car and its driver were part of his retirement package.
* DisapprovingLook: Tommy is the ''god'' of this, and can always be counted on to make one whenever anyone besmirches the good name of the Royal Family -- or, worse when members of the Royal Family besmirch themselves.
* TheDreaded: Viewed as this by anti-traditionalists such as Philip. A frightful, almost ominous, unmovable guardian of the old ways.
-->'''Philip''': Go and see him, in an unofficial capacity. For sherry or tea. Or human blood, whatever that monster drinks.
* EnsembleDarkhorse: After multiple reviews praised the performance of Pip Torrens and the entertainment of his character, the writers brought Tommy back repeatedly in Season 2, despite his ostensible retirement.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The first time we see Tommy, he is coming to collect the King, who is in the middle of exchanging bawdy jokes with Peter Townsend. Tommy does not so much as twitch his moustache with mirth, maintaining his steely gaze and ramrod posture as he reminds the King that it is time to leave for Elizabeth's wedding.
* EveryoneHasStandards: Is very against any deviations from tradition, but when the Great Smog hits and Churchill seemingly does nothing, even he implies he wouldn't mind the Queen bending the rules and getting rid of Churchill.
* GentlemanSnarker: He doesn't break out his [[DeadpanSnarker deadpan snark]] often, but when he does, it's ''ever'' so gentlemanly.
* GoodIsNotNice: From a traditional monarchist perspective, at least; while he's not exactly cuddly about it, everything he does is intended to defend and preserve the institution of the monarchy.
* HiddenDepths:
** In Season 2, the Queen pays Tommy a call to ask for his advice to find him painstakingly recreating the battle of Salamanca with hand-painted, historically accurate miniature figurines on a to-scale three-dimensional map of the battleground.
** Also apparently is fond of fly fishing (he examines salmon flies through a magnifying glass in Season 1) and hunting (he tests a rifle scope in Season 2).
* JerkassHasAPoint: Goes behind Elizabeth's back to browbeat her favoured secretary into refusing the position. When Elizabeth confronts him, he argues that breaking longstanding traditions can corrode the heart of the monarchy, as just Edward VIII's actions nearly toppled it. In general, while Lascelles is curt, forceful and inclined to trample on people when he deems it necessary, his every action is based on a sincere respect for the monarchy and desire to protect it.
* KarmaHoudini: Downplayed. The ''one'' time he's proven to be wrong (in the case of a tone-deaf speech) and Elizabeth has a chance to call out her conservative staff and threaten to fire Adeane and others of the old guard, she has no idea he endorsed the speech and he's already retired.
* LongDistanceRelationship: Admits his own marriage has often been one of these. This is TruthInTelevision as Lascelles' real-life diaries indicate that his wife and children spent most of their time at their home in the country, but frequently visited him in London.
* MagnificentBastard: His traditionalism and stuffiness are often deeply frustrating to members of the Royal Family he serves, and occasionally his colleagues. However, his instincts are almost always correct, and he explains his positions so calmly and intelligently that objections are quickly put to rest. He continues to act as an unofficial adviser to other courtiers after his retirement.
* NiceHat: Dons a top hat for Margaret's wedding.
* NoSympathy: Totally unconcerned with the emotional impact of Margaret and Peter Townsend's forced separation.
-->'''Elizabeth:''' Sending him away will break my sister's heart.
-->'''Tommy:''' Hearts mend.
* NumberTwo: As Private Secretary to the Sovereign, Tommy was this to George VI, and should be this to Elizabeth, but he often acts on the Queen Mother's instructions instead.
* ObstructiveBureaucrat: Is the main force behind frustrating the modernizing energies of Philip, and Margaret's affair with Peter, often on the instruction of the Queen Mother.
* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: After Elizabeth tells off the Duke of Windsor, a very tipsy Philip comes home at night and reveals he spent the evening drinking to Elizabeth's victory with the Queen Mother ''and Tommy''--both of whom, to hear him tell it, got even drunker than he did.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: His real first name was actually Alan, but in-series everyone calls him by his nickname of "Tommy."
* PerpetualFrowner: His face almost seems frozen in this constant disapproving frown.
* QuintessentialBritishGentleman: Three-piece suit, bowler hat, umbrella, ReceivedPronunciation, Rolls-Royce, [[SmartPeopleSpeakTheQueensEnglish impeccable vocabulary]], [[BritishStuffiness stuffy as they come]], works for the bloody Queen. He is, indeed, [[IAmVeryBritish very British]].
* SlidingDownTheSlipperySlope: Believes that this is how Edward VIII's abdication crisis came about: he started with small acts of selfishness that snowballed into bigger ones. That's why Tommy is so uptight whenever Elizabeth wants to break protocol.
* StiffUpperLip: For a ''very'' brief moment soon after George VI's death, he appears to be [[TryingNotToCry blinking away tears]] when speaking fondly of the King.
-->A kind and generous offer, as befits the widow of a kind... (pause) and generous man.
* TheStoic: He's rather serene, firm and monotone in his deportment. Even when he talks, he barely moves a muscle and his frown delivers a great deal of his authoritative message instead. It's almost sinister.
* TakingTheHeat: Desperate to get Peter Townsend out of the way to preserve the Royal Family's reputation, he offers to let Elizabeth blame him for sending Townsend to Brussels earlier than expected. It could be argued that his entire job is to basically take the heat for the Royal Family by acting as the stone-faced, unflinching fixer for their every need, whether they realise (or appreciate) it or not.
* UndyingLoyalty: To the Royal Family -- to the levels of a guardian deity.
* WhoYouGonnaCall: The Freelanced Professional variety, whenever the Royal household needs help managing a particularly sensitive crisis.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Michael Adeane]]
!!Private Secretary Michael Adeane

[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/adeane.jpg]]

->'''Played By''': Will Keen (seasons 1-2), David Rintoul (Season 3)

Elizabeth's second Private Secretary, upon the retirement of Tommy Lascelles. A competent but generally unimaginative man, he tends to defer to Lascelles.

----

* BeardOfEvil: Philip resents the more conservative courtiers, or "the moustaches," who restrict his behaviour. To make him feel better, the Queen asks Michael to shave his moustache. He complies.
* BearerOfBadNews: Often, and uncomfortably.
* TheGenericGuy: He's a rather bland and unremarkable lackey, prone to fall back to Lascelles and let him manage tough issues. He's so unremarkable that it takes Philip months to realize he's retired despite having been at his retirement party and given him a gift.
* HappilyMarried: He and his wife don't like being away from each other for too long.
* NumberTwo: Somewhat averted, as despite being Private Secretary to the Sovereign, his first action in any crisis is to call the now-retired Tommy.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Elizabeth gives Adeane what might be called an "almighty bollocking" over the poorly received speech he wrote for her.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Martin Charteris]]
!!Lieutenant Colonel Martin Charteris
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/charteris.png]]

->'''Played By''': Harry Haddon-Paton (Seasons 1-2), Charles Edwards (Season 3)

Elizabeth's Private Secretary when she was merely Princess Elizabeth, upon her elevation to the throne Charteris was demoted to Assistant Private Secretary. Nonetheless, Elizabeth likes him and continues to consider him a valued advisor.

----

* AsYouKnow: When Martin reminds Elizabeth about how regnal names work, to the point of reminding her what her father and uncle's names were.
* CassandraTruth: He tries to warn about how tone-deaf the Queen's speech was to Lascelles and Adeane but was brushed off as a whining, pessimistic "progressive or liberal." He turned out right when the backlash came at her.
** Also in Season 3 is the first to suggest that the Queen should visit Aberfan to express her sympathy to the family of the victims. He's quickly shut down, almost obliviously, by the Queen and Adeane, alongside Wilson.
* NumberTwo: As Elizabeth's Private Secretary before her accession, he later becomes the Junior Deputy Secretary to the Sovereign under Tommy Lascelles.
* OhCrap: Has this reaction when a Reuters reporter turns on the radio in the hotel lounge at Nairobi and hears of George VI's death, he immediately rushes to Sagana before Elizabeth can hear the news from any other source.
* SpareToTheThrone: Played with; Elizabeth jokes that Adeane and Charteris are, respectively, "the heir and the spare" to Lascelles.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Mike Parker]]
!!Lieutenant Commander Michael Parker
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_crown_real_life_michael_parker_1514490338.jpg]]

->'''Played by''': Daniel Ings

A Royal Navy officer who serves as the Private Secretary to Prince Philip. He's very good friends with the prince and very much enjoys his work -- and the opportunities for pleasure that come with it...

----

* MarriedToTheJob: His and his ex-wife Eileen's story shows how working for the Royal Family could break a toll on your personal and familial life; when he wasn't cheating on Eileen, he was often too busy working for Philip or hanging out with him and the Navy to even call his daughter on her birthday.
* ThePrankster: Philip asks him to help Charles kick a soccer ball properly. Mike does so, telling Charles to aim directly for Philip.
-->Not bloody bad, Charles!
* ToxicFriendInfluence: He doesn't seem to be the best of influences on Philip, encouraging his habit of drinking and partying (and possible but unspecified adultery).
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: He sends letters bragging about his sexual conquests to the Thursday Club against protocol, until his wife finally has enough and gets her hands on one, making it public knowledge and calling Philip's fidelity into question given their close friendship.
* WhenYouComingHomeDad: One reason why Eileen decided to divorce him. He was always away a lot and he didn't bother to acknowledge their daughter's birthday.
* YourCheatingHeart: A major (and legal) reason Eileen divorced him, he was cheating on her and spending more time with his mistresses and at his job than with her and the kids.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Dean Robin Woods]]
!!Dean Robin Woods
->'''Played by''': Tim Mc Mullan

The Dean of Windsor who starts to use the empty St. George's House a place of retreat and reflection for other clergymen and becomes a confidant to Philip.

----

* TheConfidant: He and his support group of clergymen become this for Philip at the end of "Moondust" after his talk with the astronauts fail to impress him.

->[[center:[[Characters/TheCrown2016 Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TheCrown2016TheBritishRoyalFamily The British Royal Family]] | [[Characters/TheCrown2016FriendsAndAcquaintancesOfTheRoyalFamily Friends & Acquaintances of the Royal Family]] | [[Characters/TheCrown2016Her MajestysGovernment Her Majesty's Government]] | '''The Royal Household''' | [[Characters/TheCrown2016ForeignDignitariesAndLeaders Foreign Dignitaries and Leaders]] | [[Characters/TheCrown2016OtherCharacters Other Characters]]

->[[center:[[Characters/TheCrown2016 Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TheCrown2016TheBritishRoyalFamily The British Royal Family]] | [[Characters/TheCrown2016FriendsAndAcquaintancesOfTheRoyalFamily Friends & Acquaintances of the Royal Family]] | [[Characters/TheCrown2016Her MajestysGovernment Her Majesty's Government]] | [['''The Royal Household''' | [[Characters/TheCrown2016ForeignDignitariesAndLeaders Foreign Dignitaries and Leaders]] | [[Characters/TheCrown2016OtherCharacters Other Characters]]

->[[center:[[Characters/TheCrown2016 Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TheCrown2016TheBritishRoyalFamily The British Royal Family]] | [[Characters/TheCrown2016FriendsAndAcquaintancesOfTheRoyalFamily Friends & Acquaintances of the Royal Family]] | [[Characters/TheCrown2016HerMajestysGovernment Her Majesty's Government]] | [['''The Royal Household''']] | [[Characters/TheCrown2016ForeignDignitariesAndLeaders Foreign Dignitaries and Leaders]] | [[Characters/TheCrown2016OtherCharacters Other Characters]]

The numerous members of the Royal Household in ''Series/TheCrown2016''. Beware of spoilers.

[[foldercontrol]]