It has been nearly two years since Netflix released a new season of The Crown, but now we are closer than ever to new episodes, a new cast, and so much more.
The Crown Season 5 will pick up in the ’90s, during a decade described as the royal family’s “biggest challenge to date,” with political and personal events that will greatly shape Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.
During this new season, the 40th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession approaches, and it allows her to reflect on the nine prime ministers she had so far, the advent of mass television — aka the 24-hour news cycle — and what is described as “the twilight of the British Empire.”
During this period, Queen Elizabeth II endures the collapse of the Soviet Union, the transfer of sovereignty in Hong Kong that “signals a seismic shift in the international order,” and other political changes, all while everything is changing in the UK as well.
On the personal front, The Crown Season 5 will explore Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s fraught relationship as Charles pressures Queen Elizabeth II to allow him to divorce Diana.
As rumors circulate about the status of Charles and Diana’s relationship, media scrutiny intensifies for Diana specifically, which is when she decides to break from family protocol and publish a book that undermines public support of Charles and exposes the cracks in the House of Windsor.
And, as if this weren’t enough already, The Crown Season 5 will introduce Mohamed al-Fayed and his son Dodi, who are looking to gain “a seat at the royal table,” according to Netflix’s official description.
Of course, anyone who knows anything about the royal family history knows we are approaching Princess Diana’s tragic death alongside Dodi Fayed in 1997.
The trailer gives us a first look at the new cast in action, with Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, Dominic West as Prince Charles, and Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana.
Of course, Staunton’s portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II marks the third casting change for this role in the show’s history. The role was previously played by Claire Foy and Olivia Colman, both of whom won Emmy Awards for their work.
As mentioned above, this period of royal family history was subject to a ton of press, from TV news to tabloids and more, so it’s wild to watch some of the most famous photos and moments re-created in this trailer alone.
Like, look at this side-by-side of Debicki vs. Diana in the iconic black “revenge dress” from 1994.
Anyway, I am so excited to watch The Crown Season 5, and I just know these actors are going to bring this period of the royal family’s history to life perfectly.
Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/noradominick/netflix-the-crown-season-5-trailer
