After five seasons of ripped-from-the-history-books palace intrigue, the final season of The Crown is upon us. Netflix announced Monday that the show’s sixth installment will debut in two parts before the end of the year: part one on November 16, and part two on December 14.
A 50-second teaser trailer puts the constraints of the monarchy front and center. The sound of a ticking clock accompanies narration from all three actors who have played Queen Elizabeth II. Claire Foy, who played the role primarily in seasons one and two, says, “The crown is a symbol of permanence. It’s something you are, not what you do.” Olivia Colman, who held the throne in seasons three and four, continues: “Some portion of ourselves is always lost. We have all made sacrifices. It is not a choice—it is a duty.” Then Imelda Staunton, the current Elizabeth—reprising the role she stepped into last season—asks, “But what about the life I put aside, the woman I put aside?”
The sixth and final season of The Crown will chronicle real events from 1997—the year Princess Diana tragically died in a car accident with then boyfriend, Dodi Fayed—to 2005, the year Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles. This is familiar terrain for series creator Peter Morgan, who depicted some of this same period in The Queen, his Oscar-winning 2006 film.
According to Netflix, part one of the season will contain four episodes, which “depict a relationship blossoming between Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed before a fateful car journey has devastating consequences.” The final chapter, released nearly a month later, will comprise the remaining six. In them, “Prince William tries to integrate back into life at Eton in the wake of his mother’s death as the monarchy has to ride the wave of public opinion,” per an official Netflix synopsis. “As she reaches her Golden Jubilee, the queen reflects on the future of the monarchy with the marriage of Charles and Camilla and the beginnings of a new royal fairytale in William and Kate.”
Returning royal family cast members include Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana, Dominic West as Prince Charles, Olivia Williams as Camilla Parker Bowles, Claudia Harrison as Princess Anne, and Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret. They’ll be joined by Bertie Carvel as Prime Minister Tony Blair, Salim Daw as Mohamed Al-Fayed, and Khalid Abdalla as Dodi Fayed.
Two sets of actors have been cast in the roles of Prince William and Prince Harry. Luther Ford will play the adult iteration of Harry in part two, while Fflyn Edwards has been cast as the younger version in part one. Rufus Kampa has been cast as Prince William in the first stretch of episodes before Ed McVey takes over for part two alongside Meg Bellamy as Kate Middleton.
Rest assured: There will be plenty for Prince Harry to fact-check come this winter.
Savannah Walsh
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