Who directed the first episode of The Crown?

Stephen Daldry directed the first episode of The Crown, titled “Wolferton Splash.”

The episode premiered on Netflix on 4 November 2016 and introduces the series through the marriage of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, the illness of King George VI, and Elizabeth's unexpected preparation for the throne. Peter Morgan wrote the episode, establishing the blend of royal ceremony, private conflict and constitutional duty that defines the drama.

Daldry was an especially fitting choice to launch the series. He is an acclaimed British theatre and film director whose credits include Billy Elliot, The Hours and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. The Crown reunited him with producer Andy Harries, with whom he had worked on The Queen, another Peter Morgan project about the British monarchy.

Viewers may confuse Daldry with Benjamin Caron or Philip Martin, both of whom directed other episodes of the series. Peter Morgan is also frequently associated with the opening episode because he created and wrote it, but he did not direct it. “Wolferton Splash” is the precise episode title and the canonical answer to the question.