A minor character who has appeared in all three seasons of Downton Abbey as well as the 2019 film and it is the seat to the Earldom of Carnarvon. Though his father was the Earl of Carnarvon and steward of Highclere Castle during the time period that The Crown takes place, this minor character in The Crown was the 7th Earl of Carnarvon at Highclere from 1987 until he ed away in 2001.
Henry George Herbert, aka "Porchey," was a close personal friend of Queen Elizabeth’s and the manager of her racing horse stables. Porchey first appears in The Crown, season 1, episode 9, "Assasins." When Porchey proposes to his girlfriend, Jeanie - an American who served as the inspiration for Cora Crawley in Downton Abbey - she accepts on the condition that Porchey will no longer hold a torch for the queen. Prince Philip later repeats this sentiment to Elizabeth, insisting that Porchey is in love with her. As their conflict comes to a head, Elizabeth its that marriage with Porchey might have been easier, but tells Philip she has only ever loved him.
Porchey isn’t shown again until he briefly appears in two episodes of season 2. In season 2, episode 4, "Beryl," he is seated on the other side of Princess Margaret from Elizabeth at her and Philip’s 10th-anniversary dinner. Later, during a short scene in The Crown season 2, episode 8, "Dear Mrs. Kennedy," Porchey exchanges brief dialogue with the queen in a crowded room as President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy arrive at Buckingham Palace. Porchey doesn't have another full conversation with the queen until season 3 of The Crown, which chronologically takes place where season 2 left off, but the actors were replaced to show the overall age of time.
The fifth episode of season 3 of the Netflix show, "Coup," shows Porchey and Elizabeth spending several days alone together in America to learn more about horse training. Elizabeth and Porchey have several conversations that start about horses and slowly turn to their personal lives, with vague comments about what it would be like if things were different. This culminates in a somber moment toward the end of episode 5 when Elizabeth confides in Porchey, after swearing him to secrecy, that she believes she was born to train horses, not rule a country, and would have been much happier with a different life – something that she says she has been reminded of after being with him in America. Porchey is about to speak when the two are interrupted by a phone call for Elizabeth, which she leaves to answer. The camera lingers briefly on Porchey as he lets out a sigh of crestfallen resignation, leaving fans to wonder what he might have said. Would it have been a compliment on her performance as queen, consolation for her sadness and dissatisfaction, or a confession of forbidden love?
The Crown has, intentionally or not, fanned the flames of rumors that Porchey and Queen Elizabeth may have had an affair by repeatedly implying that Porchey had feelings for Elizabeth and frequently depicting Elizabeth as unhappy with her marriage and royal duties. But the insinuation that the queen and Porchey felt anything beyond friendship for each other is considered ridiculous and insulting by of the royal inner circle as well as Porchey’s family, who remain close with Queen Elizabeth II. The queen is the godmother of the current Earl of Carnarvon and has spent time at Highclere Castle as recently as last year, following the ing of Jeanie Wallop Herbert, Porchey’s wife.
While it’s true that Porchey and Queen Elizabeth were childhood friends who continued their friendship as they grew older and it’s also true that they shared a fondness for horses, liberties were certainly taken in embellishing their relationship for television. Ending with its sixth season, The Crown is a masterfully produced period drama that attracts many of the same viewers who enjoyed Downton Abbey in all its saccharine nostalgia, but even though The Crown feels more grounded in reality, considering it is based on many historical events and real people, it’s important to the two shows are both – to varying extents – works of fiction.