Step aside, Matt Smith; Tobias Menzies has been anointed as the new Duke of Edinburgh.
With The Crown season 3 already shooting scenes across parts of the United Kingdom, Netflix has today rolled out our first official peek at Menzies in costume as Prince Philip. He’ll play husband and consort to Queen Elizabeth II, the latter of whom will be portrayed by Olivia Colman in place of the outgoing Claire Foy.
It’s all part of the show’s major overhaul as it prepares to enter a new era of British aristocracy. For instance, Ben Daniels has been cast as Antony Armstrong-Jones and will star alongside Helena Bonham Carter’s Princess Margaret during seasons 3 and 4.
1963 is said to be the year in which The Crown season 3 kicks off, meaning Netflix subscribers will soon be revisiting major events like England lifting the World Cup in ’66 and the blistering rise of the Beatles. Per Deadline, we can also look forward to series newcomers like Camilla Parker Bowles being drafted into the equation.
But today very much belongs to Tobias Menzies as the sharp-suited Duke of Edinburgh. He’s been left with some mighty big boots to fill, too, given Matt Smith landed an Emmy nomination for his deeply nuanced performance as the young Prince Philip.
Nevertheless, with vast amounts of TV experience already under his belt (see: Rome, Game of Thrones and Outlander), Menzies is a solid choice for the 1960s-era Philip. The real question, of course, is whether he and Olivia Colman can continue the chemistry from the show’s opening seasons when Claire Foy and Matt Smith wormed their way into our hearts.
The Crown‘s third season is expected to grace Netflix sometime next year, though further details of a specific date have not yet been disclosed.
