The Crown Season 5 Premiere Date & Everything Else We Know About the Show's Future

Find out when you can expect the new season of Netflix's The Crown! Plus, everything else we know about the period drama's future.

By Alyssa Ray Sep 24, 2022 5:23 PMTags
Watch: The Crown Season 6: Who Will Play Prince William & Kate Middleton?

All hail Imelda Staunton.

The Harry Potter actress is set to make her debut as Queen Elizabeth II in season five of Netflix's The Crown. And it seems we'll be bowing down to the new queen in under two months' time, as the streamer confirmed that the highly anticipated fifth season will premiere Nov. 9. 

And it's not just a new Queen Elizabeth to expect, as, in tradition with the show, new actors are stepping into the roles of Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, Princess Diana and Prince Charles for seasons five and six. Elizabeth Debicki has already made a splash with her portrayal of Princess Di, as she's been spotted recreating some of the late Princess of Wales' most iconic moments—including her jaw-dropping revenge dress.

Will that scene appear in the upcoming new season? It very well could be, as a new teaser promised that the Prince and Princess of Wales' divorce will be covered in the new season.

Dominic West is playing Debicki's on-screen spouse, acting opposite his real son Senan West, who will play a younger version of Charles and Diana's oldest son, Prince William.

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The Crown: Fact-Checking the Portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II

While the real Queen Elizabeth passed away Sept. 8, the monarch was said to be a fan of the show. During a Sept. 15 appearance on the Today show, Matt Smith, who played Prince Philip in seasons one and two of The Crown, shared, "I heard the queen had watched it. And she used to watch it on a projector on a Sunday night, apparently."

Keep reading for everything else we know about The Crown seasons five and six:

How Much of The Crown Is Left?

There are two more seasons to go before the tiaras and tea sets get put away for good (or at least until creator Peter Morgan decides to get them out again). Season five is next, and season six will be the last. 

When Will Season 5 Arrive?

November 2022! 

We know that it feels like we've waited forever, but the show has followed its routine production schedule. Season one came out in 2016, followed by season two in 2017. Season three arrived in 2019, season four in 2020, and now there's another break for season five. Morgan explained in an interview with THR that he needs the time off to both shoot and write the next season, since the show films in two-season chunks. 

The sixth and final season will likely premiere in 2023. 

How Far Will The Crown Get Before It Ends?

Seasons five and six will take the royal family into the 21st century, but not too far into it. Nothing super recent will be covered, but since each season tends to span around a decade, it makes sense that the show might end with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. That would mean William and Kate's 2011 wedding would be featured, but little else from the 2010s. 

The New Diana

Elizabeth Debicki will play a slightly older Diana in season five, which will likely cover the '90s from her split from Charles to her death in 1997. She takes over from Emma Corrin, who debuted in season four.

The former Princess of Wales' boyfriend Dodi Fayed will reportedly be played by Khalid Abdalla, per Variety. Dodi's billionaire father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, will also appear in season five, as Oslo actor Salim Daw has been cast in this role.

The New Queen

The entire cast gets replaced every two seasons, so Olivia Colman will pass the torch to Imelda Staunton, who you may know best as Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter

The New Prince Philip

Game of Thrones star Jonathan Pryce will play Prince Philip in seasons five and six, taking over for Tobias Menzies.

The New Princess Margaret

Lesley Manville will follow in the footsteps of Helena Bonham Carter as the new Princess Margaret in seasons five and six.

The New Prince Charles

The Wire and The Affair star Dominic West plays Prince Charles, succeeding Josh O'Connor in the role.

Dominic's own son Senan will play a teenage Prince William in season five.

Meet Prime Minister John Major

Jonny Lee Miller has joined The Crown for season five as John Major, the British Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997. Gillian Anderson played previous Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who left office in 1990.

Meet Prince William and Kate Middleton

In Sept. 2022, Netflix revealed that two actors will portray a young William in season six: 16-year-old Rufus Kampa and 21-year-old Ed McVey. And 19-year-old Meg Ballamy will play Kate. 

Is There Any Chance of Seeing Meghan Markle on The Crown?

Sadly, no. As much as we keep hoping, Morgan said that Harry and Meghan, despite the captivating drama they've added to the world of the royal family, are too recent to cover with any clarity. 

"Meghan and Harry are in the middle of their journey, and I don't know what their journey is or how it will end," he told THR. "One wishes some happiness, but I'm much more comfortable writing about things that happened at least 20 years ago. I sort of have in my head a 20-year rule. That is enough time and enough distance to really understand something, to understand its role, to understand its position, to understand its relevance." 

Here's hoping for another season in 2040!  

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