Queen Elizabeth IIhas passed away at the age of 96. Elizabeth celebrated her “Platinum Jubilee” this summer, making her the longest-serving monarch in British history, and the longest recorded female leader in history. Elizabeth inherited the title after the sudden death of her father,King George VI, in 1952. She is succeeded by her son,King Charles III.Over the course of her reign, both England and the world went through several periods of significant political, social, economic, and societal changes. Here is a world leader who led her people all the way from the Cold War to Brexit.
Given the length of Elizabeth’s rule, there have been countless media portrayals that debuted within her lifetime. While film and television biopics aren’t always noted for their accuracy, they do help gauge the interest of moviegoers who may not know as much about world politics or the monarchy. In the past few years, the story of the British Royal Family has been the subject of the Emmy-award-winning Netflix drama series,The Crown.
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What Is the Current Production Status of the Crown?
The Crowntells the story of Elizabeth’s entire reign in office. Given the length of her rule, multiple sets of actors have been employed to play the main characters in different eras. In the first two seasons,Claire FoyandMatt Smithstarred as a young Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Phillip Mountbatten, respectively. In seasons 3 and 4, these roles were passed toOliva ColmanandTobias Menzies.
The Crown’s showrunner and head writer,Peter Morgan, has stated thathe intends to temporarily “pause filming” on the seriesout of respect for Elizabeth. He stated that “The Crownis a love letter to her, and I’ve nothing to add for now, just silence and respect.” While it sounds like Season 6 may be taking a break in its production schedule, the fifth season is expected to debut on Netflix this fall.
How Did the Last Season End?
Season 4 ended on a cliffhanger, as Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor) and Princess Diana (Emma Corin) began to grow further apart. Season 5 introduces an entirely new cast.Imelda StauntonandJonathan Prycewill portray the older Elizabeth and Phillip;Dominic WestandElizabeth Debickias Charles and Diana, respectively. Also joining isLeslie Manvilleas the Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret. Season 5 will cover the events of the early-to-mid 1990s.
What Is Season 5 Going to Look Like?
It’s unclear if Season 5 will include the death of Princess Diana in 1997, or if this will be saved for Season 6. We know that several cast members have been added from that stretch of time, includingKhalid Abdallaas Dodi Fayed, Diana’s lover who was killed in the same car accident.Bertie Carvelhas also been cast as Prime MinisterTony Blair, who served as England’s political leader from 1997 to 2007.Senan West, the real-life son of Dominic West, will portrayPrince William. It seems likely that Diana’s death and the subsequent public blowback against the Royal Family will make up the climax of Season 5 and perhaps the beginning of Season 6.
Season 6 and Beyond?
While the sixth season may be taking a brief production break in honor of their national tragedy,several key cast members have been added to the final season. Staunton, Pryce, West, and Carvel are all expected to reprise their roles. Netflix recently castRufus KampaasPrince HarryandEd McVeyas a slightly older Prince William, respectively.Meg Bellamyhas also joined the cast as William’s girlfriend and future bride,Kate Middleton. Since William and Harry will grow older over the course of Season 6, fans can expect the final season to cover the rest of the 1990s and early 21st Century.
Morgan has stated thatSeason 6 will be the final installment in the series, but he has changed his mind before. Since Kampa, McVey, and Bellamy are all younger, it seems unlikely that Season 6 will cover William and Kates’ marriage or Harry’s break from the Royal Family. If Morgan should change his mind, a potential seventh and eighth season could cover everything up until the Queen’s death. However, skewing this close to reality may pose more risks than it does benefits. Morgan may not want to take a fictionalized approach to a situation that is still developing with new updates every day.
WhileThe Crowntakes creative liberties with its depiction of historical events, the series does a great job at contextualizing the importance of Queen Elizabeth II’s rule. The series does not absolve the Royal Family of any mistakes that it’s made, but it does show a great deal of empathy for Elizabeth, particularly in her younger years. It’s easy to look at a beloved historical figure as nothing more than a list of accomplishments, but media likeThe Crownshow compassion for these pivotal figures.
