5 Things To Know About Queen Elizabeth II’s Epic Wedding Before Binge-Watching The Crown This Weekend

In modern-day society, few marriages evoke a sense of longing for all things pure and traditional quite like those of the British royal family. Kate and William’s wedded bliss is a prime example of this phenomenon, but the truly enviable royal marriage has been ongoing for 69 years. Queen Elizabeth II and her eventual groom, Prince Philip, met when Elizabeth was just thirteen-years-old, and she was immediately smitten. They wed after a secret engagement eight years later, and it’s this ceremony which kicks off the new Netflix series The Crown. Here, 5 things you should know about the royal wedding before binge-watching the show this weekend (and maybe even Monday, after you’ve inexplicably contracted a 24-hour-bug).

Not Many Liked Philip For Elizabeth

Philip had no money. He also wasn't close to his family—which had ruled Greece until his uncle abdicated after World War I—and had grown up between English relatives and boarding schools. To make matters worse, he was of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksberg, which made him just German enough to be shunned by the Brits. (Not to mention that his four sisters all married German princes, three of whom were Nazis.) Elizabeth's mother secretly called him "the Hun."

Elizabeth Purchased Her Dress With Coupons

In 1947, Britain was still recovering from the first World War, so Princess Elizabeth used ration coupons to purchase the duchesse satin fabric used for her wedding dress. We love this thrifty tidbit, as modern brides rarely deign to so much as buy off-the-rack.

She Also Did Her Own Makeup

Just like Kate Middleton after her, Princess Elizabeth did her own makeup for the big day. We're guessing Kylie Jenner will not be trying this trend.

Her Tiara Broke Just Before The Wedding

In an anecdote reminiscent of Charlotte's disastrous second wedding to Harry in SATC, Princess Elizabeth's tiara snapped just before the ceremony. Luckily, the court jeweler was on hand to fix it. We've now decided we definitely need one of those at our own wedding. Sorry, dad.

There Were Some Noticeable Invite Slights

None of Prince Philip's German relatives were invited, for obvious reasons. Elizabeth's uncle, who had shamed himself by abdicating so he could marry socialite Wallis Simpson, was also excluded from the festivities. Drama! We can't wait to watch this all go down on The Crown.