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From the archives: See The Weekly’s covers featuring Prince Charles & Princess Diana during their first years of romance, as the new season of The Crown delves into their courtship

The pair's 1983 tour of Australia also appears in the fourth season of Netflix's The Crown.
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If you’re watching the new season of The Crown from Australia, you’ll likely be intrigued by one particular storyline.

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Known for its accuracy in depicting real-life events, The Crown has quickly garnered a reputation as an (albeit dramatised) interpretation of the many milestone royal events that have occurred since Queen Elizabeth II took the throne in 1952.

After three whirlwind seasons, The Crown fans are now privy to a depiction of the royal family’s key moments from the 1980s – namely, the relationship between Princess Diana and Prince Charles.

It’s one of the most iconic romances of all time, and one that the world will forever be inquisitive about.

And in a big moment for Australia, their famous tour of the country in 1983 is set to bring a refreshed perspective on the globally renowned photo opportunities that it posed.

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The Australian Women’s Weekly covered the early days of Charles and Diana’s courtship, which is set to be brought to life in the new season of The Crown.

(Supplied)

As a show striving to make its narrative as realistic as possible, the production team behind The Crown approached the Australian Women’s Weekly to ask for permission to mock up covers of the magazine at the time the Australian tour took place.

If you watch closely, viewers will see copies of The Australian Women’s Weekly in a couple of shots (see the mock ups below) in the episode covering the tour.

The Weekly covers can be spotted in the latest season of The Crown.

(Netflix)
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The Crown producers called The Weekly to ask for permission to mock up some vintage covers of the magazine from the 1983 tour.

(Netflix)

In comparison, this is an archived Australian Women’s Weekly cover featuring Charles and Diana a few years before their Australian tour.

(Supplied)

What happened on Charles and Diana’s Australian tour?

The whirlwind Australian tour of Prince Charles and Princess Diana captured the world’s attention in a way no other royal tour had before.

Firstly, the month-and-a-half long journey marked the very first overseas royal tour Diana had ever made.

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It was also Prince William’s first ever tour. He was nine-months-old at the time, and while it was standard practice at the time for royal babies to remain in the care of others at home, it is believed Diana simply didn’t want to part with him.

The new royal parents visited Uluru among other places during the milestone tour of Australia.

(Getty)

During the Australian tour, the royal couple visited Ayers Rock (which is now known as Uluru). They also attended multiple events in Sydney, Melbourne, Newcastle, Alice Springs and more.

Among their engagements were balls, school visits and many, many walkabouts.

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And at 22, Diana had quickly established herself as a fashion icon – some of her most renowned style moments were front and centre during the tour, including her stunning pink Victor Edelstein gown and the Spencer Tiara which she wore in Brisbane.

Diana’s iconic pink Victor Edelstein dress was worn during her tour of Australia in 1983.

(Getty)

The tour was undoubtedly one of their most famous, and it’s easy to see why given the global attention the royal pair garnered.

Indeed, it set a precedent for modern royal tours – Duchess Catherine and Prince William have also opted to to bring their children along to overseas trips in the past, and last year, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan brought their baby son Archie on a tour to South Africa.

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With this in mind, we’ll be watching The Crown‘s portrayal of the visit with much interest – not least to keep our eyes peeled for that Weekly cover.

Want more info on The Crown’s new season? Check out the stories below

Playing Princess Diana: The Crown’s Emma Corrin on why she thinks Diana never really stood a chance

A fast approaching release date and new Aussie connections: The Crown’s remaining seasons are gearing up to be a wild ride

Gird your crown jewels: New pics from the hotly anticipated fourth season of The Crown have dropped, and we’re in for a right royal spectacle

The emotional story behind Prince Charles and Camilla Shand’s early (and doomed) relationship of the 1970s

EXCLUSIVE: “It was daunting”: Jessica De Gouw talks joining The Crown and new drama The Secrets She Keeps

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