The Crown was one of the most successful Netflix dramas, following the British family throughout the years.
It is also unique in that it recast roles as the characters grew older, allowing new stars to step up and take on the characters.
After Season 4 dealt mostly with the relationship between Prince Charles and Princess Diana, it is time to see what Season 5 holds for Netflix fans.
The Crown Season 4 aired on November 15, 2020, and here is everything we know so far about The Crown Season 5.
- Updated November 10, 2021: Added release date update.
- Updated December 24, 2021: Production notes
This article provides everything that is known about The Crown Season 5 and all related news. As such, this article will be updated over time with news, rumors, and analysis. Meanwhile, let’s dig down into what is known so far.
Is there going to be a Season 5 of The Crown?
The good news is that there will be another season of The Crown, as it was greenlit along with the fourth season of the show, which just concluded.
However, it will be a long wait for the new season as it won’t even start shooting until 2021. The bad news is that the fifth season will be the last for the series.
While creator Peter Morgan had six seasons planned, Netflix chose to pull the plug after five seasons and Morgan agreed that it, “became clear… that this is the perfect time and place to stop. I’m grateful to Netflix and Sony for supporting me in this decision.”
Morgan said he is looking forward to ending the show on his own terms.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to confirm Imelda Staunton as Her Majesty The Queen for the fifth and final season, taking The Crown into the 21st century. Imelda is an astonishing talent and will be a fantastic successor to Claire Foy and Olivia Colman.”
Release date latest: When does The Crown Season 5 come out?
The Crown Season 5 won’t hit Netflix any sooner than 2022.
Deadline reports that there will be about a two-year gap between Season 4 and the final Season 5. This is the same gap that took place between Season 2 and Season 3.
Deadline also reported that the fifth season will not start filming until June 2021. The site also reported this was part of the show’s plans, and it has nothing to do with the coronavirus pandemic.
This means not to expect The Crown Season 5 until possibly late 2022.
Variety reports that The Crown will officially be back in November 2022.
“I will do my utmost to maintain the very high standard that they set,” actress Imelda Staunton said. “Hopefully I look calm, collected and capable. My stomach, meanwhile, is doing somersaults.”
Variety reported in December 2021 that production wrapped early on Season 5 of the show because of the new COVID-19 Omicron variant surge.
According to reports, up to eight crew members were affected with the coronavirus variant.
“‘The Crown’ finished filming one day earlier than planned for the Christmas break following a few positive cases within the team, thus ensuring others’ safety and so that everyone on production can enjoy a festive break with their loved ones,” Variety reported.
The show will start shooting again in January, but this shouldn’t effect the announced release date.
The Crown Season 5 cast updates
Imelda Staunton (Harry Potter) came on board and took over the role of Queen Elizabeth, and she will be part of the fifth and final season of The Crown.
“I have loved watching The Crown from the very start. As an actor it was a joy to see how both Claire Foy and Olivia Colman brought something special and unique to Peter Morgan’s scripts,” Staunton said. “I am genuinely honored to be joining such an exceptional creative team and to be taking The Crown to its conclusion.”
Game of Thrones star Jonathan Pryce will be back as Prince Philip.
Lesley Manville (Harlots) was confirmed as Princess Margaret.
In Season 5, Elizabeth Debicki (The Night Manager) plays Princess Diana while Dominic West (The Affair) is rumored to play Prince Charles.
Other characters who need to be cast for the new season include Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Prime Minister John Major, and Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Photos surfaced in December 2021 of Bertie Carvel (Doctor Foster) and Lydia Leonard (Last Christmas), as they have been cast to play Tony Blair and his wife Cherie.
Also cast for the new season is Dominic West’s son Senan. West will play Prince Charles on the series and Senan will play Prince William on the show.
We will keep you updated with any and all casting news for Season 5 of The Crown.
The Crown Season 5 spoilers
Season 4 of The Crown took viewers through 1990 with Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) as the Prime Minister. However, the main focus of the season was not the politics but the relationship between Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
The final episode was Christmas 1990.
The new season will take place starting with 1992. The Crown Season 5 will deal with much more family drama, an era the Queen herself referred to as a horrible year.
Prince Philip’s divorce from Sarah Ferguson should play a part in the final season. There was also the divorce of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips.
This was also the era with the fire that blazed through Windsor Castle.
What fans might be looking forward to the most, in a morbid way, is the separation and divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1996, and Diana’s tragic death on August 31, 1997.
The novel, “Diana: Her True Story,” was also released in this timeframe with the Princess sending tapes dealing her innermost thoughts, a black eye on the Royal Family.
As for the world events at the time that might play into the new season, Tony Blair won the general election in 1997, the Queen had her golden wedding anniversary, and possibly into the 2000s when William and Kate met and the Queen Mother died in 2002.
What’s more, we also have a list of 15 of the most popular TV shows on Netflix, again, just follow the link.
Netflix has yet to announce when The Crown Season 5 will premiere. Seasons 1-4 are currently streaming on Netflix.