With the Diana-heavy Series 5 of The Crown making waves, it's a great time to revisit some of the best episodes of the whole series. The episodes are a mixture of historical events (like the assassination of President Kennedy and the death of King George VI) and tense moments in a unique, and sometimes very dysfunctional, family.

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The Crown, one of the most popular shows on Netflix, has had some incredible actors over the years. The Queen (Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and now Imelda Staunton for Season 5) and Prince Phillip (Matt Smith, Tobias Menzies, and Jonathan Pryce) are big roles to play, and these episodes highlight the unique qualities each actor brings to the table.

8 Aberfan - Season 3, Episode 3

This is considered by many to be the most difficult episode of The Crown to watch. The Aberfan disaster is the worst mining disaster in British history: after the collapse of a soil tip, a landslide of coal waste engulfed a village in Wales, including a school. 116 children and 28 adults were killed in the disaster.

In this episode, the Queen is asked to consider visiting the residents of Aberfan, to provide comfort, but she isn't sure whether this is appropriate. This delay in response was reportedly the Queen's biggest regret (a situation that would repeat itself, albeit in a different way, after the death of Princess Diana). It's a heartbreaking episode, with arguably one of the most moving moments of the entire series, as Prince Phillip attends the mass funeral for the children of Aberfan.

7 Vergangenheit - Season 2, Episode 6

In this episode, the Queen questions the concept of forgiveness, and whether loyalty to family should trump personal morals. Her uncle, the Duke of Windsor, wishes to move back to London from Paris to gain employment. His motivations for this aren't entirely pure (essentially, he's bored), but he decides to try his luck. Unfortunately for him, Elizabeth has just discovered his dodgy connections to the Nazi government during the war. She's not particularly interested in doling out forgiveness.

Viewers see two sides of the Queen in this episode. On the one hand, she's completely committed to her Christian faith and finds the principle of forgiveness to be a vital part of her religious practice (we also see her asking the reverend Billy Graham for advice about this). On the other hand, she has a strong emotional reaction to her uncle's actions. The episode ends with a series of real-life images of the Duke of Windsor, including - disturbingly - a picture of him standing next to Hitler. While the series has been criticized by some over historical inaccuracies, this storyline is, unfortunately, rooted in truth.

6 Terra Nullius - Season 4, Episode 6

A lot of the more memorable moments in The Crown come from Season 4. There's still a deep fascination with Princess Diana, and the storytelling in this season depicts a princess trapped within a system that will ultimately destroy her. In this episode, 'Terra Nullius', tensions between Diana and Charles are at an all-time high. Embarking on a tour of Australia, Diana is distraught to learn that she will have to be without then-baby Prince William for weeks at a time.

This adds strain to an already growing problem. Diana is bored and frustrated, and Charles is petulant and jealous of the public's obvious adoration of his wife. Viewers will see Charles at his absolute worst in this episode, and Diana's bulimia rears up again. At the end of the episode, Margaret has a frank conversation with the Queen about the spiraling princess, in which she suggests that Diana 'will break' if things continue.

5 Dear Mrs. Kennedy - Season 2, Episode 8

In this episode, we see the Queen struggling with her own self-image. This isn't helped by the visit from the Kennedys (Jackie Kennedy sums up the Queen as 'unremarkable' and 'unintelligent'. Ouch). Later, Mrs.Kennedy returns to apologize, and admits that she is under a lot of strain, painting a picture of a tense and unhappy marriage. The Queen can't help but feel worried about her.

The episode climaxes with the assassination of President Kennedy, with the palace staff gathering around the radio to hear the news. Elizabeth commands a week of mourning in the royal household, ending the episode by writing a letter to Mrs.Kennedy. While it's a dramatic episode, what makes it stand is the subtly shifting relationship between the two women.

4 Tywysog Cymru - Season 3, Episode 6

At this point in the series, Charles becomes more of a prominent character. Charles's transition from boyhood into future King is a rocky road, to say the least, and viewers witness the first of many obstacles in 'Tywysog Cymru'. In this episode, Charles encounters a problem: he will become the Prince of Wales, but not everybody in Wales wants to be ruled over by an English prince.

Charles tries to change perceptions of him by writing his own speech for the Investiture ceremony. He gives the speech in Welsh and affirms his respect for the unique culture and history of the nation. This goes some way towards repairing relations with the Welsh people, but the Queen isn't happy. She can read between the lines of his unapproved speech and has picked up on Charles's own unhappiness within the Royal Family. Charles reminds her that he has a voice, and her response at the close of the episode is cutting: "Let me let you in on a secret: no one wants to hear it."

3 Hyde Park Corner - Season 1, Episode 2

This episode deals with the death of King George VI. It's an emotionally charged episode. The King, with an awareness of his quickly impending passing, begins to wrap up loose ends, including spending time with Princess Margaret and watching Elizabeth head off to Nairobi for the beginning of the Commonwealth tour.

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Viewers get to see the impact of the King's death on both his immediate family and the nation. There are several emotional moments, including Margaret's disbelief at the passing of her father, and the dawning comprehension on Elizabeth's face as she realizes, without having to be told, that her father has gone. This is considered to be one of the best episodes of Season 1, thanks to the emotive storytelling and incredible acting.

2 War - Season 4, Episode 10

In the climactic episode of Season 4, 'War' weaves together several conflicts. It opens with Margaret Thatcher, struggling to accept the end of her time in office. As Thatcher's cabinet begins to turn on her, she breaks down at the thought of losing her job, and her only passion in life. However, the more urgent conflict in this episode is the obvious breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage. Tensions between them are high, and it's clear to everyone that they can't continue. Everyone except the Queen, that is.

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After trying to dodge him, the Queen finally faces up to a difficult conversation with Charles, in which she scolds him for treating Diana badly, and for not trying hard enough to sabotage his marriage. In one of the most interesting scenes of the episode, Phillip approaches Diana and attempts to connect with her from his position as an 'outsider' to the family, although he does include an ominous warning if Diana decides to walk away: 'I can't see that ending well for you.' It's an excellent example of how The Crown manages to explore dysfunctional family relationships with subtlety and depth.

1 Fairytale - Season 4, Episode 3

In one of the most memorable episodes of the series, we see Charles and Diana preparing to walk down the aisle. Of course, looking back, it's easy to see that they should never have married. However, Charles is trapped, despite his misgivings; he can't stop the wedding from happening no matter what.

There are several heartbreaking moments in this episode. Diana, wandering around a mostly empty palace, grappling with her eating disorder and anxiety; Charles begging his mother not to go ahead with the wedding, and lashing out at Diana in response to his stress; and the Queen reminding Charles that the future of the monarchy hangs in the balance. It's thick with tension and things unsaid.

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