The final season of Peter Morgan’s hit historical drama, “The Crown,” will premiere in two separate parts, Netflix announced on Monday.
A short clip posted to the streaming platform’s YouTube channel revealed that the first slate of episodes will debut on Nov. 16, followed by another premiere on Dec. 14. The new trailer depicts the series’ three iterations of Queen Elizabeth II, with actresses Claire Foy and Olivia Colman making brief cameos alongside Imelda Staunton.
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Below, what WWD knows about the sixth season of “The Crown” so far.
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What events will be depicted in part one?
The first part of the final season will focus on Princess Diana‘s final days, including her romance with Harrods heir Dodi Fayed. According to the show’s executive producers, Suzanne Mackie and Andy Harries, the late Princess of Wales’ death will be handled with “enormous sensitivity.”
“There was no question that we would be, firstly, meticulous in our research and read and listen, and of course secondly and most importantly is to be sensitive,” Mackie said at the Edinburgh TV Festival in August. “There were very, very careful, long, long conversations about how we do it, and the audience will judge it in the end. But I think it’s been delicately, thoughtfully recreated.”
What about part two?
Part two will extend into the early 2000s, depicting the early stages of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s relationship, as well as a royal wedding.
One of the pivotal scenes featured, according to Mackie and Harries, is when William for his future wife at St. Andrews University in Edinburgh, Scotland. He and Middleton were coeds, flatmates and friends before their relationship turned romantic. Her modeling of a sheer knit dress during a student-run fashion show reportedly sparked the prince’s affection.
After recreating the nuptials of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana, “The Crown” will feature a more modern ceremony this season — but it won’t be William or Harry’s. In September, Netflix’s U.K. and Ireland X account dropped a new photo depicting a prop invitation to the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles.
“After six seasons, seven years and three casts, ‘The Crown’ comes to an end later this year,” read the post. “We’ll be back with more soon, but here’s a hint at what’s to come in our final season.”
England’s current monarch met his future Queen in the ’70s. Years later, Charles and Camilla struck up an affair while Charles was still married to Princess Diana. Following her death, the couple went public with their relationship and eventually tied the knot in 2005.
Actress Claudia Harrison, who plays Princess Anne in seasons five and six, revealed that Charles and Camilla’s wedding was the final scene filmed before production officially wrapped in April 2023. York Minster Cathedral in England stands in for the couple’s actual wedding venue, St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, in the show.
Who is in the cast?
After joining the cast during season five, Staunton will reprise the role of Queen Elizabeth II. Dominic West and Jonathan Pryce will return as Prince Charles and Prince Philip, respectively.
Elizabeth Debicki will step back into the shoes of Princess Diana. In season five, the Australian actress took over the role from newcomer Emma Corrin, who portrayed Diana in season four.
Meg Bellamy and Ed McVey are both new additions to the cast. Bellamy takes on the role of Kate Middleton, while McVey will play Prince William.
Is there a spin-off in the works?
In 2022, news broke that Netflix was in talks to produce a prequel series to “The Crown.” The show would follow Queen Elizabeth II’s predecessors. Beginning with Queen Victoria’s death in 1901, it would span the reigns of Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII and George VI. As of 2023, however, there are no updates on the potential new series.