Last month, production finally began on The Crown season 5, which will see the hit royal drama once again switch up its cast. We’ve already got our first glimpse at Harry Potter star Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II. Now Netflix has revealed a couple of new promo images which unveil the recast Princess Diana and Prince Charles, who’ll be played by Elizabeth Debicki (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2) and Dominic West (The Affair), respectively.
The unhappy relationship between Charles and Diana was one of the most talked-about elements of 2020’s fourth season, which featured Josh O’Connor and Emma Corrin in those roles. With season 5 following the Windsor family’s story into the 1990s, The Crown is set to cover the couple’s divorce in 1996 and the subsequent death of Diana two years later. The tragedy awaiting the pair is hinted at in these two photos, which showcase the duo separated and alone.
Season 5 was originally set to be the final run of the series, but Netflix and creator Peter Morgan later changed their minds and agreed they needed six seasons to tell the story to its fullest. Much like previous casts remained in place for two seasons each, the current Staunton-led roster of actors will stick around for the sixth and final batch of episodes, which is confirmed to conclude in the early 2000s. Don’t expect the series to reach more recent events, such as the marriages of Princes William and Harry.
Also joining the show for its fifth season are Jonathan Pryce as Prince Phillip, Claudia Harrison as Princess Anne, Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, and Jonny Lee Miller as Prime Minister John Major. The Crown is due to return sometime in 2022, probably around November or December going by previous years. In the meantime, the first four seasons are available to stream on Netflix.
