EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT
THE CROWN
It’s been a two-year wait, but the fifth series of The Crown will be available to stream on Netflix in November. As the story moves into a new era, it’s all change among the cast. Here’s everything you need to know about the return of the hit drama.
Who’s playing who?
Imelda Staunton (see below) leads the way as the Queen, veteran actor Jonathan
Pryce plays Prince Philip, The Wire’s Dominic West takes on the role of Prince Charles and Elizabeth Debicki, from BBC1’S The Night Manager, stars as Princess Diana. Also look out for Mum star Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense) as Camilla Parker Bowles and TV stalwart Marcia Warren as the Queen Mother.
Who else is in series five? Fans will know The Crown isn’t just about what’s going on in royal circles, but what’s happening on the political stage too, so look out for Trainspotting’s Jonny Lee Miller as Prime Minister John Major, and Doctor Foster actor Bertie Carvel as his successor, Tony Blair.
What happens in it?
The fourth series ended in 1990, with Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) being forced to resign as PM, and the Queen and Prince Philip forbidding Charles and Diana from giving up on their marriage.
We pick up the story during a turbulent time for the royal family, particularly 1992, which the Queen famously described as her ‘annus horribilis’, after her children’s marriages broke down and a fire raged through Windsor Castle.
A big story running through this series will see the acrimonious parting of the Prince and Princess of Wales. It’s also likely to feature Diana’s controversial TV interview from 1995. Word is, this series will end with her death in 1997.
Clever casting?
Dominic West’s real-life 13-year-old son Senan has been cast as his on-screen son Prince William! It’s been rumoured that Emma Corrin, who played Princess Diana in series three and four, could return in flashback scenes. Claire Foy returned as the Queen in series three, so why not?
To be continued?
Creator Peter Morgan originally intended for the drama to end at series five, but has decided to continue the story. If it follows on from 1997, it will likely follow the Tony Blair years and include the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002, which also saw the deaths of the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret.