At long last, Netflix has released a full-length trailer for the upcoming season of its hit royal drama series, The Crown. Check it out below.
The Crown season 5, which is heading to the streamer on November 9, will explore the well-publicized end of Charles and Diana’s marriage, John Major’s time as Prime Minister and the Queen’s annus horribilis in 1992.
Imelda Staunton is inheriting the role of the late Queen Elizabeth II from Olivia Colman in The Crown’s new episodes, while Jonathan Pryce is playing Prince Philip. Dominic West and Elizabeth Debicki are portraying Charles and Diana, respectively.
Lesley Manville is taking on the role of Princess Margaret, and Jonny Lee Miller has been cast as John Major. All six characters are present and correct in the show’s first trailer – which is set to an ominous rendition of The Verve’s Bitter Sweet Symphony – and you can check out all the details on the rest of the upcoming season’s cast in our dedicated hub.
As the above footage suggests, things aren’t exactly going smoothly at Buckingham Palace in The Crown season 5. In 1992, the Queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, divorced her husband, Windsor Castle went up in flames and public opinion began – for the first time in years – to turn against the royals. Season 5’s main narrative lynchpin, though, will be the breakdown of Charles and Diana’s marriage.
“This particular part of history, an awful lot happens,” Staunton said in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly. “There’s a lot of turmoil, which isn’t made up – these things happened. I think there’s a lot going on for people to take on this time around.” And judging by season 5’s first trailer, she isn’t exaggerating.
Fans’ wait for the return of The Crown has been longer than usual – but not, surprisingly, because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead, the show had planned to take a gap year long before the virus began presenting the entertainment world with numerous production challenges.
As for the series’ future beyond season 5, we know that The Crown season 6 – which will be the show’s last instalment – has already begun filming. Shooting was temporarily put on hold following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September, but showrunner Peter Morgan has since confirmed that production on new episodes is back underway.
For more Netflix-related content, check out our reports on the streamer’s recent upturn in subscriber numbers, as well as our pick of the best Netflix shows and best Netflix movies.