Jonathan Pryce

The first series adapted the Hilary Mantel novels Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, which semi-fictionalised the rise to power of Thomas Cromwell. Coming from nothing, Cromwell rapidly found a political foothold in the court of King Henry VIII, as well as a score of enemies.

Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light is named after the third novel in Mantel’s trilogy, covering the last four years of Cromwell’s life. With Anne Boleyn (Claire Foy) executed, Henry finds happiness in his third marriage, this time tying the knot with Jane Seymour (Kate Phillips).

If four series of lavish production and high-stakes storylines about the upper echelons of the aristocracy weren’t enough to whet appetites for series five of The Crown, the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II will have piqued yet more interest in Netflix’s flagship show.

In the days following the monarch’s death, The Crown’s audience rose more than 800% in the UK, according to data analytics firm Whip Media. This is a reminder, if one were needed, of the strong emotional connection many viewers feel to the British Royal Family.