The Crown Season 5 dropped last week and, if you’re anything like me, you’ll already have inhaled that and be wanting more. After Tampongate, annus horribilis, and the introduction of Dodi Fayed, it’s clear what’s coming next for the royal family as we continue through the ’90s.
Many commentators and fans of the show have been concerned as to how The Crown will approach the tragic death of Princess Diana. As it happened much more recently than many of the other deaths depicted in the royal drama, it needs to be handled far more sensitively. Her two sons, who were both children at the time, are both still living, for example, and have been vocal about their dislike of the media distorting the circumstances of her death.
Here’s a look at whether there will be a sixth season of The Crown and how the show is expected to progress.
Will there be a season 6 of The Crown?
Season 5 ended with a pensive look from Imelda Staunton’s Queen Elizabeth, setting up that more of the story is still to come. Indeed, Netflix has confirmed that there will be a sixth season of the show—but that this will also be the final installment of the drama.
This will come as a relief to fans who were worried when it was rumoured that the death of the Queen would put an end to the show in its fifth season.
“As we started to discuss the storylines for series five, it soon became clear that in order to do justice to the richness and complexity of the story we should go back to the original plan and do six seasons,” explained the show’s creator, Peter Morgan.
Sticking with the trend of aging up the cast every two seasons, the current cast will stick with the show until the end. The only changes are to Prince William and Prince Harry, who will both be played by older actors as the show goes on. William has already been cast as Ed McVey, while an older Harry is as yet uncast.
Actor Dominic West, who plays Prince Charles, has already told Deadline that Season 6 is “as tumultuous as it gets” after a table read in August, 2022. The show will cover Diana’s death but have confirmed that the actual events will not be shown on screen. Instead, the writers will likely focus on the build-up (with references to the intense press attention already apparent in Season 5) and the aftermath of the tragic event.
(featured image: Netflix)
