The Crown's creators discuss making the hit Netflix series
The creators of Netflix's The Crown explain why sometimes its necessary to forsake accuracy, but never truth, in a drama based on real events
The creators of Netflix's The Crown explain why sometimes its necessary to forsake accuracy, but never truth, in a drama based on real events
The lavish ten-part Netflix series became another outstanding triumph for writer Peter Morgan and a distinguished team . Critics noted a “startling attention to detail in everything from costumes to sets” and thought it hard to see how it could be better.
The show set out to tell the inside story of the most famous addresses in the world, Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street, and it did just that, exploring the intrigues, love lives and machinations of post-war Britain.
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Gillian Anderson (Sex Education) will play Britain’s first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, while Emma Corrin (Pennyworth) will play Princess Diana.
The fourth series is set to cover Thatcher’s term and her relationship with Queen Elizabeth II (Olivia Colman), as well as the courtship between Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor) and Lady Diana Spencer and their wedding in 1981 where she becomes Princess.
Netflix has also released images of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh (Tobias Menzies), and Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret.
A short trailer accompanied the announcement, in which Olivia Colman’s Queen Elizabeth II declares: “Something as important as the monarchy simply cannot be allowed to fail.”
The trailer also introduced the characters of Margaret Thatcher and Princess Diana, played by Gillian Anderson and Emma Corrin.
The coming series will follow the arrival of Thatcher as Prime Minister and Diana’s turbulent relationship with Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor).
Debicki will take over the role from Emma Corrin, who will star as Princess Diana in the upcoming fourth series due later this autumn.
Jonathan Pryce (Game of Thrones) has also been announced to take over from Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip.
Pryce and Debicki will join the cast confirmed for series five and six including Imelda Staunton (A Confession), who will play Queen Elizabeth, and Lesley Manville (Mum) as Princess Margaret.
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Morgan had originally planned for six series of the much-loved drama, but has decided that the fifth series “is the perfect time and place to stop”.
Morgan thanked Netflix and Sony for supporting his decision and described Staunton as an “astonishing talent” and a “fantastic successor”.
Staunton will be the final actor to play the Queen after predecessors Claire Foy and Olivia Colman, taking the series into the 21st Century.
The Crown first aired in 2016 and with its big budget production spend, was hailed as a game-changing drama for Netflix.
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