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The fifth season of Netflix's royal drama series The Crown debuted on Wednesday and with it a number of new characters—many of whom are unfamiliar to the viewing public.
The show also debuted with a new cast playing the lead characters. Veteran actress Imelda Staunton took over the role of Queen Elizabeth II from Olivia Colman; Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip from Tobias Menzies; Dominic West as Prince Charles from Josh Owens; and Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana from Emma Corrin.
One key character featured in the opening episode of the season is introduced as Leonora Knatchbull, the young daughter of distant royal relations, played by child actress Clara Graham.
But who was the real Leonora Knatchbull and how is her legacy helping seriously ill children still today?
Who Was Leonora Knatchbull?
Leonora Knatchbull was the third child and youngest daughter of Penelope "Penny" Romsey (now Countess Mountbatten of Burma) and her husband Norton (now Earl Mountbatten of Burma).
Norton was the grandson and heir of Lord Mountbatten, Philip's domineering uncle who was assassinated by the IRA in 1979.
Philip became Norton's godfather and grew up to be close friends with Charles. When Norton married Penny in the months after Lord Mountbatten's assassination, Charles stood as best man.
The couple had three children: Nicholas, born in 1981; Alexandra, born in 1982; and Leonora, born in 1986.
In 1990, the Knatchbulls were on a holiday in Majorca with Charles, Diana and Princes William and Harry when Leonora fell ill. Taking her to Spanish doctors they diagnosed her with kidney cancer.
Reports state that Charles and Diana arranged for the Knachbulls to be flown immediately home in a royal plane while they entertained the remaining children in Spain.
In October 1991, following 14 months of attempts at treating the disease, Leonora died at the age of five.
Was Leonora Knatchbull Princess Diana's Goddaughter?
In season five of The Crown, Leonora is depicted alongside her family as having joined Charles and Diana on a Mediterranean cruise in 1991. This holiday did take place, although the comment made by Elizabeth Debicki as Diana that Leonora was her "goddaughter" is false.
Diana was godmother to one of the Knatchbull children—but it was their eldest daughter Alexandra, not Leonora.
Alexandra Knatchbull grew up to become a business consultant, marrying Thomas Hooper in 2016. The bride's father was too ill to walk her down the aisle and so in his place, friend Charles performed the honor.
Despite not being her godmother, Diana was close to Leonora and visited her during her cancer treatments on a number of occasions. The royal is reported to have been one of Leonora's final visitors in the hospital just days before her death.
In June 1991, the princess stood next to Leonora on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the traditional Royal Air Force flypast. Photographers captured emotional images of the royal crouching down, explaining to the 5-year-old what was happening.
What Was the Prince Charles Photo Controversy?
In 1990 a member of the paparazzi captured images of Charles in Spain hugging a woman who was later identified to be Penny Knatchbull.
British tabloid newspaper The Sun published the photographs, describing the encounter as a "lingering, warm embrace at a hide-away villa in Majorca," under the headline "Charles hugs old flame—Prince shares tender moments with lovely Penny by the pool," so the Daily Mirror subsequently reported.
The intimated romantic undertones of the photograph caused great upset within royal circles and on the day of publication, The Mirror reported, Norton Knatchbull announced:
"The picture in The Sun is a picture of a caring human being comforting my wife. It was taken at the moment we told Prince Charles that our daughter had been diagnosed with serious cancer. Prince Charles was obviously as upset as we were and immediately consoled Penny who was in tears.
"Leonora is seriously ill and is now having further tests at a London hospital before the commencement of treatment for this cancer."
The Sun newspaper later issued an apology for the story that read: "We would like to apologize to both Prince Charles and Lady Romsey, her husband and her family."
Where Is Leonora Knatchbull Buried?
Leonora was buried at the Knatchbull family home, Broadlands, in Hampshire, England.
The house was the former home of Lord Mountbatten and has played a significant role in the family life of the royals.
In 1947, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip spent part of their honeymoon at the house, returning at intervals throughout their married life.
What Is the Leonora Children's Cancer Fund?
Following their daughter's death, Norton and Penny Knatchbull founded the Leonora Children's Cancer Fund in 1994.
The charity provides funds to help specific projects in the child cancer field, including dedicated children's cancer nurses.
The charity was supported by Philip with whom Penny developed a close friendship in the years after Leonora's death. This is dramatized in Season 5 of The Crown. Although speculated upon in some quarters, no evidence that a romantic relationship existed between the prince and Knatchbull has so far surfaced.
In 2014 the Leonora Children's Cancer Fund merged with the trust named in honor of her grandmother Countess Edwina Mountbatten to form the Edwina Mountbatten and Leonora Children's Foundation.
Season 5 of The Crown is available to stream on Netflix now.
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About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more