Everything to Know About Season 5 of ‘The Crown’: Cast, Premiere Date and More

Credit: Netflix

Everything to Know About Season 5 of 'The Crown': Cast, Premiere Date and More

Ready for more? The Crown has captivated viewers since its first season dropped in November 2016 — and the drama is showing no signs of slowing down. The Netflix hit began by recounting the story of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September 2022, and her decades-long reign, as well as her marriage to Prince Philip, who died in April 2021. As the series continued, new story lines were introduced, including the whirlwind romance and messy split between Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana. With the show rapidly approaching the modern era, creator Peter Morgan has carefully mapped out the topics covered in the upcoming fifth season. "No one's trying to censor me. No one's ever tried to correct what I do or censor what I do," Morgan told The Hollywood Reporter in August 2020, admitting that he's met with former palace aides "on an entirely informal and impersonal basis" to brief them on what's to come in future episodes. "I don't want anything to do with the palace and the palace wants nothing to do with me. ... I only write what I want to write." In January 2020, Morgan announced that Netflix renewed the period piece for a fifth and final season, despite originally being slated for six installments. At the time, he felt like he'd found "the perfect time and place to stop," but six months later, the streaming service gave season 6 the green light. "As we started to discuss the storylines for series 5, 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," the screenwriter told Deadline in July 2020. The opportunity to continue the story for a sixth season will "enable us to cover the same period in greater detail," but likely "will not bring us any closer to present-day," he clarified, hinting that neither Prince Harry nor Meghan Markle will be featured in future seasons. [jwplayer siMxz0oM-zhNYySv2] After season 4 explored what went on between Charles, Diana and Duchess Camilla behind palace walls, fans expect the upcoming episodes to cover the Princess of Wales' controversial BBC interview and her 1997 death. Emma Corrin, who earned the Golden Globe for Best Actress — Television Series Drama for her performance as Diana, will not be returning for season 5. Though the aftermath of their shocking 2020 step back won't play out on the small screen, Harry and Meghan are some of many British royal family members to weigh in on The Crown's portrayal of royal life. After learning that the Sussexes had watched a bit of the Netflix series, Corrin told TheWrap it was "interesting" to hear their perspective. "Personally, I try not to engage with it because I feel like it's a slippery slope and if I start worrying about who's seen it and what they think, it becomes stressful," she said in June 2021, adding that she could "sit comfortably" knowing the series wasn't trying to be a documentary. "It's its own thing. But in a way, I suppose it can never be completely detached from the reality that it touches and that it's influenced by." Keep scrolling for more details about the historical drama's fifth season: [podcast_block]

Credit: Netflix

Everything to Know About Season 5 of 'The Crown': Cast, Premiere Date and More

Ready for more? The Crown has captivated viewers since its first season dropped in November 2016 — and the drama is showing no signs of slowing down. The Netflix hit began by recounting the story of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September 2022, and her decades-long reign, as well as her marriage to Prince Philip, who died in April 2021. As the series continued, new story lines were introduced, including the whirlwind romance and messy split between Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana. With the show rapidly approaching the modern era, creator Peter Morgan has carefully mapped out the topics covered in the upcoming fifth season. "No one's trying to censor me. No one's ever tried to correct what I do or censor what I do," Morgan told The Hollywood Reporter in August 2020, admitting that he's met with former palace aides "on an entirely informal and impersonal basis" to brief them on what's to come in future episodes. "I don't want anything to do with the palace and the palace wants nothing to do with me. ... I only write what I want to write." In January 2020, Morgan announced that Netflix renewed the period piece for a fifth and final season, despite originally being slated for six installments. At the time, he felt like he'd found "the perfect time and place to stop," but six months later, the streaming service gave season 6 the green light. "As we started to discuss the storylines for series 5, 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," the screenwriter told Deadline in July 2020. The opportunity to continue the story for a sixth season will "enable us to cover the same period in greater detail," but likely "will not bring us any closer to present-day," he clarified, hinting that neither Prince Harry nor Meghan Markle will be featured in future seasons. [jwplayer siMxz0oM-zhNYySv2] After season 4 explored what went on between Charles, Diana and Duchess Camilla behind palace walls, fans expect the upcoming episodes to cover the Princess of Wales' controversial BBC interview and her 1997 death. Emma Corrin, who earned the Golden Globe for Best Actress — Television Series Drama for her performance as Diana, will not be returning for season 5. Though the aftermath of their shocking 2020 step back won't play out on the small screen, Harry and Meghan are some of many British royal family members to weigh in on The Crown's portrayal of royal life. After learning that the Sussexes had watched a bit of the Netflix series, Corrin told TheWrap it was "interesting" to hear their perspective. "Personally, I try not to engage with it because I feel like it's a slippery slope and if I start worrying about who's seen it and what they think, it becomes stressful," she said in June 2021, adding that she could "sit comfortably" knowing the series wasn't trying to be a documentary. "It's its own thing. But in a way, I suppose it can never be completely detached from the reality that it touches and that it's influenced by." Keep scrolling for more details about the historical drama's fifth season: [podcast_block]

Credit: Des Willie/Netflix

When Will It Air?

Netflix confirmed during the September 2021 TUDUM event that The Crown Season 5 will premiere in November 2022.

Credit: Des Willie/Netflix

Has Filming Started?

Variety previously reported that production on season 5 was set to kick off in July 2021 and would closely follow the U.K.'s COVID-19 protocols. 

Credit: S Meddle/ITV/Shutterstock

Who's Playing the Queen?

Imelda Staunton, widely known for playing Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter series, is the third actress to portray the royal matriarch in the period drama after Claire Foy and Olivia Colman. 

Credit: Netflix

Who's Playing Diana?

Elizabeth Debicki is taking over the role from Corrin, who played the late princess on season 4. "Princess Diana's spirit, her words and her actions live in the hearts of so many," Debicki said in a statement in August 2020, calling the opportunity to play Diana a "true privilege and honor." 

Credit: Netflix

Who's Playing Prince Charles?

Dominic West, best known for his role in The Affair, will step in as Prince Charles for the final two seasons of the Netflix drama.

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

Who's Playing Prince William?

Dominic's son Senan West is taking on the role of Prince William.

Credit: Adam Nemser/startraksphoto.com

Are There New Characters?

In June 2021, it was revealed that Jonny Lee Miller would be playing British politician John Major, who served as prime minister from 1990 to 1997. He joins Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret and Jonathan Pryce as the late Prince Philip. 

Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Will It Cover Any Modern Royal Scandals?

Because Morgan doesn't know "what their journey is or how it will end," he won't be including story lines for Meghan or Harry in the upcoming season, he told The Hollywood Reporter in August 2020. "I'm much more comfortable writing about things that happened at least 20 years ago," he added, noting that his "20-year rule" allows for "enough distance" to approach the subject creatively. He also told the publication that Prince Andrew's 2019 step back would be off-limits.

Credit: Alex Bailey/Netflix

What Will Imelda Staunton's Queen Elizabeth II Wear?

Netflix released the first photo of Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II in July 2021. The actress donned Her Majesty’s signature grey, curled hairstyle and a yellow dress. She wore pearl earrings and a necklace while carrying a handbag on her arm, which the queen never leaves home without.

Credit: Shutterstock (4)

WWho Will Play Dodi Fayed and His Father?

Khalid Abdalla has been tapped to play Dodi Fayed, according to Variety in September 2021. Fayed was the boyfriend of the late Princess Diana before their 1997 deaths. Salim Daw has been cast as Fayed’s father, billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed.

Credit: Netflix

How Will Imelda Staunton Honor Her 'The Crown' Predecessors?

"I'm delighted to be here, inheriting the role of Queen Elizabeth from two outstanding actresses, most recently, the wonderful Olivia Colman. And who could forget the actress who originated the part, Claire Foy," Staunton during the September 2021 TUDUM event in a special message for fans from the set.

She continued, "I will do my utmost to maintain the very high standard that they set. Hopefully, I look calm, collected and capable. My stomach, meanwhile is doing somersaults." 

Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Did a COVID-19 Outbreak Affecting Filming?

After several crew members tested positive for COVID-19, the Netflix series suspended production in December 2021.

“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,” a show spokesperson told ET Canada at the time. 

Credit: shutterstock, courtesy Humayun Saeed/Instagram

Who Does Humayun Saeed Play in 'The Crown' Season 5?

The Pakastani actor will star as Dr. Hasnat Khan, the heart surgeon who claims to have been romantically involved with Diana from 1995 until her death in 1997.

Credit: Laurent VU/SIPA/Shutterstock

How Is 'Emily In Paris' Star Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu Involved?

In March 2022, Emily in Paris actress Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu revealed her involvement in the fifth season of The Crown. "It was a very small thing but it was a lot of fun and I was so, so happy to be in it," she told the Daily Mail. "Every episode is like a little film on its own. It’s crazily well written."

Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

When Is The Release Date for ‘The Crown’ Season 5?

Season 5 of Netflix’s The Crown premieres on November 9, 2022. All episodes will release at 3 a.m. ET.

Credit: Des Willie (2)

Will ‘The Crown’ Season 5 Address Charles’ Tampon Comments to Camilla?

In October 2022, West — who portrays a younger King Charles III (then still Prince Charles) — revealed that the show would tackle the leaked conversation between Charles and Camila where he said that he wanted to “live inside” her trousers and be reincarnated as her tampon. 

 "I remember thinking it was something so sordid and deeply, deeply embarrassing [at the time]," West told Entertainment Weekly at the time. "Looking back on it, and having to play it, what you're conscious of is that the blame was not with these two people, two lovers, who were having a private conversation. What's really [clear now] is how invasive and disgusting was the press' attention to it, that they printed it out verbatim and you could call a number and listen to the actual tape."

Credit: Netflix

How Will ‘The Crown’ Season 5 Handle Princess Diana’s Death?

Debicki shared in an October 2022 interview with Entertainment Weekly that the cast and crew of the Netflix show will handle the final days of Princess Diana’s life with “sensitivity, truth and complexity”

“The amount of research and care and conversations and dialogue that happen over, from a viewer's perspective, something probably that you would never ever notice is just immense,” the actress shared. “From that very first meeting [with] Peter [Morgan], I knew that I'd entered into this space where this was taken seriously [in] a deeply caring way. So that's my experience of the show."

Credit: Netflix

Does the ‘The Crown’ Season 5 Have a Trailer?

A first look at the new season of the historical drama dropped in October 2022. The clip shows the monarchy in crisis and foreshadows Princess Diana’s fate.

Credit: Keith Bernstein

Is ‘The Crown’ Dramatized?

Dame Judi Dench publicly criticized The Crown season 5 in October 2022, calling its story lines “cruelly unjust” and inaccurate and demanding the streaming platform add a disclaimer to the program. While Netflix did not address her allegations at the time, they have since added a new label on the teaser footage.

“Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatization tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II and the political and personal events that shaped her reign,” a title card on season 5’s official trailer reads.