LOS ANGELES, Sept. 25 (US): The Crown will return to its throne on Netflix in early November.
The drama about Queen Elizabeth II and her extended family will begin its fifth season on November 9, the streaming service said Saturday. The first appearance will come two months after the Queen’s death on 8 September at the age of 96.
Production on Season 6 was suspended on the day the Queen died and again due to Britain’s longest-serving monarch’s funeral, according to the Associated Press.
Next season, Imelda Staunton becomes the latest in a series of actors who have played Elizabeth through decades of her life and rule.
The first two seasons starred Claire Foy as a young princess Elizabeth who ascends to the throne and grows into her role as Queen. Olivia Colman appeared in seasons three and four as a more mature queen.
The show won 22 Emmy Awards, including Best Drama Series and Best Actress in a Drama for Foy and Coleman. Josh O’Connor, who played Prince Charles as a young man in 13 episodes, won an Emmy for Best Dramatic Actor.
The pivotal role of Princess Diana shifted from Emma Corinne in season four to Elizabeth Debicki (“Tenet”) for seasons five and six. She plays Dominic West as Prince Charles. The Prince, Elizabeth’s eldest child, became King Charles III after her death.
Other newcomers include Leslie Manville as Princess Margaret and Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip.
Season 5 of “The Crown” is expected to cover the turbulent 1990s for the royal family, when Charles and Diana’s marriage fell apart chaotically. The Princess of Wales died after a car accident in Paris in August 1997.
The series was critically acclaimed as a drama, but was criticized by some for its lapses in historical accuracy. Two years ago, Netflix rejected calls to add a disclaimer to the series.
Peter Morgan, author of “The Crown” and writer of other dramas of modern history including The Queen and “Frost/Nixon,” has defended his work, calling it thoroughly researched and true to the soul.
ZHB