Just don't ever let my vanity get the better of me again.
After international political pressure forces him to withdraw all British forces from Egypt, causing severe damage to the country's reputation (and his own) in the process, Anthony Eden goes to Jamaica to recuperate. Meanwhile, Philip continues his tour, punctuated by an interview that he ends when the reporter inquires about his family history. At Christmas, Philip delivers a heartfelt radio address, prompting Elizabeth to let him know his family is waiting for him as part of her own Christmas address. Eileen Parker, the wife of Philip's private secretary Mike, initiates divorce proceedings on the grounds of infidelity. Charteris warns Adeane the fallout could cause the press to ask questions about Elizabeth and Philip's own marriage.
This episodes contains examples of:
- Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder: Zigzagged; Philip's on what's described as not a royal tour but "a five-month stag night", but the Queen's Christmas message gets him thinking about the family he has now that he didn't have as a boy in exile.
- Ambiguous Situation: Again, on the subject of whether Philip committed adultery. Mike is shown to be enjoying the company of local women on every tropical island they visit (and bragging about it in his letters home, which ultimately proves to be his undoing), while with Philip it's merely implied.
- Artistic Licence – Military: The White Ensign flown by the Britannia is lacking the Cross of St Patrick on the Union Jack, making it a pre-1801 example of this flag.
- Book Dumb: Elizabeth again shows her lack of general education as she doesn't know where Antarctica is.
- Canon Foreigner: Helen King, the Aussie journalist who gets an interview with Philip, is a fictional character.
- Chekhov's Gunwoman: The waitress at the Thursday Club, who ends up providing Eileen with evidence of Mike's infidelity.
- Cool Boat: The royal yacht Britannia, even if it is mostly CGI.
- A Day in the Limelight: This is the first truly Philip-centric episode of The Crown.
- Deliberate Values Dissonance: At play when Eileen's solicitor advises her against initiating divorce proceedings against her husband — although once it's established that she's dead set on this course of action, he goes along with it.Solicitor: Are you really sure about this? A divorce can leave a woman quite isolated. Maybe things will get better if you stick it out. I tend to think that's always the best way for everyone. The grass is rarely greener.Eileen: I will come back when I have evidence.
- The Drunken Sailor: Philip and Mike show evidence of becoming this while on tour. And possibly Horny Sailors as well.
- Foreshadowing: Philip experiences a couple of quick flashbacks to his Dark and Troubled Past before he brings his interview with Helen to a close. There will be more focus on this in later episodes.
- Fisher King: The Suez Crisis is widely regarded as a key event in the decline of British influence in the post-war world, and the country — now faced with an economic crisis and fuel shortages — looks worse for it. This is juxtaposed with the ongoing poor health of the Prime Minister, Anthony Eden. Very much Truth in Television.
- Gossipy Hens: The first thing the solicitor does after Mrs. Parker leaves is pick up the phone, and the usual chain of rumors lets the Palace know that the wife of Prince Philip's Private Secretary is planning divorce proceedings.Michael: I'm going to ask you to go through it again.Martin: Yes, the provenance of this rumor is quite arcane.Michael: Your sister...Martin: Sister-in-law.Michael: ...had lunch with her aunt, who had just spent the weekend at...Martin: Cholmondeley Castle.Michael: At which, one of the other guests was the bridge partner...Martin: Tennis.Michael: ...of the solicitor visited by Eileen Parker.Martin: I think that's it.Michael: That's half Britain already. And all of these people now know Mrs. Parker is seeking a divorce.
- Guilt by Association: Given that Philip and Mike are great chums who follow each other everywhere, a scandal involving Mike's infidelity will inevitably raise questions about what the Queen's husband has been up to.
- Humiliation Conga: Anthony Eden gets this big-time, as the international repercussions of the Suez Crisis are disastrous for Britain. As Mountbatten points out, it's not so much that it was All for Nothing, it's worse, as Britain has ended the affair with "less than nothing" — the country is now faced with price rises, fuel shortages and a very damaged international reputation.
- Manipulative Bitch: Under a friendly, even flirty guise, Helen manages to appeal to Philip's vanity in order to get an interview with him.
- Mighty Whitey: Averted; the crew of Britannia win at sports everywhere they go, except New Guinea where the natives thrash them (except at cricket, and only because they've never played the game before).
- Public Secret Message: A possible version, but right when the Queen's Private Secretary is worried that the brewing divorce case might reflect badly on the Prince, the Prince gets a request from the Palace to broadcast a Christmas message on the importance of family. It wasn't Elizabeth's idea (though she approves given her own anxieties) so the idea must have come from the Queen's staff.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: When the Britannia rescues a shipwrecked Pacific Islander sailor and treats his injuries, the captain intends to drop him off at the next port and let him fend for himself from there. Philip overrules the captain, demanding that they divert the ship to the sailor's home island and personally return him to his family.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: On his doctor's advice, Eden — having just ruined Britain's international reputation — announces that he's off to Jamaica for some rest in the sun, leaving the Queen lost for words as he's still the Prime Minister. In Real Life, it was even more interesting than that, as he and his wife were guests of Ian Fleming while they were there.
- Smoky Gentlemen's Club: The Thursday Club, so very much.
- Spanner in the Works: A casual pinch on the behind by a customer at the Thursday Club is enough to make the waitress reconsider talking to Mrs. Parker. She admits to having an affair with Mike, but refuses to testify because she'd lose her job and reputation. However the waitress then sees a club member reading out Mike's letter and realises all the proof is right there on paper.
- Time-Passage Beard: Invoked when Mike announces a beard-growing competition among the Britannia's crew.
