'The Crown' Season 3: Fans call Episode 4 'Bubbikins' a 'masterpiece' and Jane Lapotaire as Princess Alice 'remarkable'

Princess Alice's story shown in 'The Crown' is accurate for the most part. She was taken away to a mental institution when Prince Philip was just 10.
PUBLISHED NOV 18, 2019

Netflix's 'The Crown' sheds light on several unexplored tales from the lives of the royal family. As Episode 4 begins, the setting is Athens in 1967 at a nunnery by the name of the Christian Sisterhood of Martha and Mary. The Order is led by an aged nun, who we learn later, is Princess Alice of Battenberg, the mother of Prince Philip.

Princess Alice's story shown in 'The Crown' is accurate for the most part. She did sell off her royal jewels to fund the nunnery, she was congenitally deaf, and she was taken away to a mental institution when Prince Philip was just 10 years old. And yes, she did call him "Bubbikins".

Played by actress Jane Lapotaire, the character touched many hearts and fans can't stop raving about the storyline. "To me, 'Bubbikins' is a masterpiece. Jane Lapotaire portrayed Princess Alice of Battenberg beautifully; one of my all-time favorite episodes of #TheCrown," one user wrote.

Another one posted: "OMG! What a goddess Jane Lapotaire is in #TheCrown! Her portrayal of HRH Princess Alice of Greece and Denmark is so remarkable! I love it! She makes me want to reach through my laptop screen and hug Princess Alice so tightly! I need to see more of her work."

Portrait of the Royal Family at the christening of Princess Anne; (back L-R) Earl Mountbatten, Princess Margarita and Andrew Elphinstone, with (front L-R) Princess Alice, Prince Charles, Princess Elizabeth and Queen Elizabeth, at Buckingham Palace, London, October 21, 1950. (Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

"Oh, Princess Alice in her bed, looking so small and so frail, and my poor heart! #TheCrown #TheCrownNetflix," one tweet read and another one said, "Amazing acting by Jane Lapotaire (Princess Alice) and Geraldine Chaplin (Wallis Simpson) in #TheCrown #Season3 THEY BOTH MADE ME CRY!!!"

"My favorite episode so far in The Crown Season 3 is Episode 4 highlighting Princess Alice. Her life story is very interesting. Loved Jane Lapotaire's performance. "Faith is everything" #TheCrown #TheCrownNetflix," another tweet read and one user wrote: "My admiration for Prince Philip of the Royal Family is boundless. The depiction of schizophrenia through the eyes of Princess Alice #TheCrown was fueled by compassion and love and faith."

Several scenes had a deep connection with the viewers. "It annoys me that when Philip reads out The Guardian article to Princess Alice, his priority is still about the damn cameras. Christ, man. It is always heartening to see a moment of vulnerability between a mother and her child though," one fan wrote and another one posted, "Princess Alice teaching Princess Anne to smoke. It reminds when my grandma buys me beer, but she has never drunk with me!"

All 10 episodes of 'The Crown' Season 3 are now available on Netflix.

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